The Journey of the gifted
The adjective (better still, attribute) “gifted” speaks of one who has been bestowed a gift, an object or ability that was not earned, but graced to that chosen individual. It is very easy to look at the hardwork, sweat and blood many put into their art, craft, talent and creations and conclude that it is not a gift but a primarily a result! Without work, it is true there’ll be little to no results, however if we think about it, the work that goes in to polish a rock till the diamond in it is revealed will be futile if the rock does not have that initial seed of precious material in it; that treasure in the earthen vessel is the gift, and the gift as the name implies is first and foremost granted. Therefore the work we put into our gifts is a secondary matter, the primary issue here is the gift we have received.
Moreso, from whence comes the ability, desire or passion to even make such strides to polish till we shine? The experiences, realisations and resolutions that cause us to work on our rocks, much like every other occurrence in the universe are coordinated by the Sovereignty of Elohim. Is it not he who causes all things to work together for good? So “what do ye have that ye have not received?”. Who can create creativity? Who can bestow ability? Who is the source of all strength, and power, and diligence?
This realisation personally strikes a chord of humility in me. Thinking carefully, I realise how I’m like a server simply downloading information from the source creator – he has built in me microprocessors that can interpret the data he relays, and he daily supplies the power to my system to create what is simply output to his divine input. Am I not but an object in this divine transaction? Is it not God who does all first, and then works in me both to will and to do? Where then is the grounds for pride? In humility and gratitude the gifted must thank God for being the chosen ones for the expression of “His creativity” in the Earth realm. The gifted is but a vessel, and all he can do us but a gift!
Pride will always be the one of the chief enemies of the gifted, and without dispelling her, the gifted will rebel against the will of the creator. The giver of the gift is always greater than the gift, and without controversy He that blesses is greater than He that is blessed. If the likes of Lucifer accepted that all he had was but a gift, he may have forever lived in gratitude to the giver.
Gifts are neither given arbitrarily not without accompanying expectations, particularly when the source is an intentional God with a specific all-encompassing agenda. God has a reason for every gift he gives and for every choice of whom the gift is given to. It is no happenstance that we can do what we can do! But why did God choose us? And what makes us worthy to journey with this gifting to some great life-changing, world- changing destiny?!
We each embark on our unique adventure lacking a lot of these answers, and like we see in most of our mythical and fictional tales, every chosen one must on their journey face some test to prove that they are worthy of both their gift and the destiny that the gift given is to facilitate.
The problem is, too many gifted people conclude we are not good enough even before we even go on the journey or take the test. But God didn’t choose us by mistake! Every chosen one has the potential to do what we were chosen to, and despite the declarations of happenings, the fact remains that an infallible God chose us.
The chosen one is not guaranteed to pass all the tests, but we are definitely bound to learn and grow from each of them – success or failure. Because the journey itself is the ultimate test, at the end of which the gifted must render account for what we did first with the gift of life, and then for whatever other gift was given – this is the test we must not fail!
The focus here however is not this final test, though I’ll hardly pass up an opportunity to talk about eternal judgement- no one should!
Jesus Christ is the perfect example of the gifted one bestowed with the most divine gift (the fullness of God) on a journey to save humanity, and even he did not journey without testing!
On a night when Jesus had waited on God for forty consecutive days and nights and had his divine destiny strongly in mind, God himself sent Jesus to the wilderness to be tested! Was Jesus ready (and worthy) of this divine gift and destiny?
The gifted/chosen will face three sure tests, just as Jesus did, and like Jesus we must be well positioned to respond appropriately in the face of such tests on our journey.
… to be continued
P.S Nii Kwei Turkson, is a dear friend and brother in the faith with a passion for proclaiming the gospel through arts. He is the Leader of Teleios Inc. , a platform for gifted young people to preach Christ through their artistic talents. He is a writer and lover of Christ at heart. ❤️