“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
~King Solomon~
In the first part of this post, PURPOSE – The Power of Vision, I wrote about passion and talent. Today I want to continue and tell you about opportunities and calling.
WHAT DO YOU SEE ON THE HORIZON – OPPORTUNITIES
There is this story about a dinner meeting with three business men. One was a Yoruba man, the other an Igbo man and the third, a Chinese man. While eating, a fly came along and as it buzzed past the Yoruba man, he shoved it away. It buzzed past the Igbo man and he also drove it off. But when it buzzed towards the Chinese man, he grabbed it and swallowed it. A second fly flew past and the whole drama repeated itself. When the third fly came along, the Yoruba man did as before – he shoved it away but as it got to the Igbo man, he caught it instead and asked the Chinese man, “How much are you willing to pay for this?”
That Igbo man is a man of vision. Over his horizon, he saw an opportunity in a most bizarre situation.
In a metropolitan city like Lagos, a lot of people are looking for jobs and they do not see any. Why? Is it because there are no jobs? No! It is simply the lack of vision – the power to see opportunities on their horizon… but a few do. Like the late Isaac Durojaiye who started mobile toilets for rent so that when there’s a party anywhere and there are no toilets, you can hire mobile toilets from him. And like he says, “Shit business is good business”. Who would have ever seen an opportunity in taking care of someone’s shit? Look around you, there are opportunities everywhere. Take hold of them and see your vision come alive.
WHAT DO YOU SEE ABOVE THE CLOUDS – A CALLING
Some people are privileged to have visions from beyond the clouds like Paul the apostle (Acts 9) or like Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 6). Others receive it via a prophecy like King Saul (1 Samuel 9:16-10:1). And there are still others who receive theirs as deep impressions upon their hearts like King David (Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat;… “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.” 1 Chronicles 28:11, 19). The method may differ but the source remains the same. God has a calling for each one of us. Why do so many remain oblivious to their God-calling? Some lack vision because they fail to practice of devotional solitude and others for the lack of faithfulness in little things.
Sometimes what we really need is to cut off the signal interference in our spirit to receive a clear message from God. When the noise from society and work are cut off, His voice becomes loud and clear.
Here is a word for those who don’t have a clear word or vision – just be faithful in whatever your hand finds to do and God is sure to give you your own.
“And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Luke 16:12). It is in the spirit of faithful service to another that ours is bequeathed to us. While it is true that where there is no vision, the people perish, it must also be noted that the reverse is also true: “Where there are NO PEOPLE, the vision perishes.”
Adams Allison