Principle Number 5
Discover the ingredients of success Part 1
Pastor Maselo Mosomane
“And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability.” Matthew 25: 15. Why didn’t he give them equal amounts? What decisive measure did he use to see who qualify for what? Jesus tells us in this parable that he gave to every man according to his several abilities. ABILITIES.
The word ability means aptitude, skill, capability, capacity, talent or gift. It is a physical or mental power to perform - a superior natural ability. I like the word SKILL.
I’ve come to a place where I believe that all gifts or talents are from God. Every kind of gift that we have is from God. God gives gifts to men. Environment, circumstances and orientations expose them. Training and practice perfect and turn gifts into skills. It is common that many people will not realize their gifts until circumstances eliminate all possible alternatives.
All of us are born with certain abilities given to us by God to perform certain tasks. In addition to that, He endowed us with the ability to reproduce after our kind. At conception, certain qualities are passed from parent to child. Since conception requires 23 chromosomes from each parent to take place, it is through this process that both parents contribute their talents into the life of the child. One child may inherit certain talents from one of the parents while another inherits from both. We are able to pass certain physical and mental abilities to our children. For example: good athletes are likely to pass this physical ability to their children. Musicians are likely to pass this gift to their children as well. Children born of intelligent parents are also likely to inherit that mental ability from their parents. This happens naturally, and parents do not have any choice over who should receive and who shouldn’t receive. As a matter of fact parents want every child to receive the best gift. Distribution of such gifts and proportions are decided without human counsel. It is a natural way that God uses to perpetuate certain traits for reasons only know to Him.
But God is not limited to natural ways. He is also able to divinely endow people with gifts. When God does this, He does not depend on the kind of gifts that such person’s parents have. I think He does this when He cannot find someone who is willing to cooperate with Him to perform a specific task; especially when the specifications cannot be compromised. Let us read together in Exodus chapter thirty one from verse one to verse five: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts — to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship” When no natural means cannot provide the skill, ability and knowledge in need; God does it spiritually. “….I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts”
Training was another way parents would impart skill to children. It was every parent’s duty to equip his child with a skill or more in order to prepare him or her for an independent life that lies ahead. This was the reason why Jesus was called a carpenter; for Joseph His father, was a carpenter. “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” Mark 6: 3.
Today transference of skills is no longer a family matter. Almost all known skills are documented and are made available through the education and training systems to whosoever is willing to learn. We have schools and training institutions where anyone can train and become whatever he or she desires. In olden days one would never dream of being anything outside his or her family. One’s scope was limited to one’s parents’ skill. Things have changed. It is possible, nowadays, for one to be trained in whatever kind of skill he or she desires. Every year young men and women qualify in skills that never existed in their families. Limitation is a thing of the past. In fact: the only limitation one will ever have to deal with is self-imposed through wrong believes, attitudes, association and perhaps laziness.
Due to high demand for certain products in the market, most products are no longer hand-made. In order to meet these high demands, a system of mass production has been developed. Instead of manual production highly sophisticated machines are used in factory plants to produce large number of units to meet the needs of an ever demanding market. This calls for specialized training to empower willing employees with necessary skills to operate such complicated piece of equipments. More and more skills are developed as technology advances. We should; however, not forget that development comes with a price. While we celebrate the dawn of a new era, more and more people are laid off for lack of specialized knowledge and skill. Muscles are no longer a requirement for one to be considered for a job.
Some skills, however, can still be acquired by keeping a hand on the master’s plough long enough to have his skill rub off on to you. They call it apprenticeship. I suppose you know as much as I do that you cannot put your hand in a tin of paint without part of it sticking to your hand. Many people acquired their skills that way. Others call it on-the-job training. This is how Jesus’ disciples got their training. It took them three years, yes time equals to college term. On the day of Pentecost they graduated and received their Holy Spirit degrees.
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