A little boy grew up hearing a lot about how gifted he was. Everywhere he went, he was admired because of the really beautiful gift he had. As he grew older and travelled away from his home town, everywhere he went, he began to expect admiration from everyone around; including those who didn’t know about his gift. He increasingly grew entitled and became irritated by the fact that people no longer gave him the respect and regard he and his gift “deserved”. The more irritated he was, the less people admired him. Then he went back to his home town seeking nostalgia, surely his old neighbours would remember how gifted he is… he thought. To his shock, he realised that even those who used to admire him no longer did. He was bewildered!

What had changed? Didn’t they recognize him anymore?
Well, he learned the Truth the hard way; he had thought that all he needed to do to become a recipient of people’s regard, respect and admiration was simply to be gifted. Yes, initially, that would suffice but ultimately, the model of merely possessing a gift was not sustainable. More and more, people will realise that you have made the Gift all about you and nothing can be more repulsive.

The way the world is designed is such that, people typically milk their Gifts, first to benefit themselves and then if they have enough left to spare, they will share. But that was never the design of the Giver of Gifts. Our Gifts are designed to be served to the world and that must be our biggest motivation for developing our Gifts. The consequent benefits we receive as the Gifted are add-ons and must never become our prime pursuit.

“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Joseph learned this the hard way.” — Acts 20:35 (KJV)

The moment he realized he was gifted and ordained to lead, he became self-absorbed and condescending. The first expressions of his Gift was all about telling his Family members about how they would serve him, be ruled by him and pay obeisance to him. In his mind, he was making sense and expected admiration and cooperation from his Family members. How naïve! The environment rejected him by ejecting him into Slavery. And the interesting thing about Slavery is that it will rid you of every ounce of self-importance or narcissism. Joseph’s entire life now had to become all about another man and his family; Portipha.

He had to learn how to serve his Gift rather than be served for his Gift.

Then having learned how to divest himself of himself, the next point of call was the Prison; where he had to learn to interpret the dream of others. Slavery was designed to help him see beyond himself; and now that he could see beyond himself, the Prison gave him the opportunity to serve his Gift to others.

He had to learn to understand that everyone also has a dream they are hoping to fulfil, interpret and execute. He ceased going everywhere narrating his dream to the world and expecting everyone to bow to him. Instead, he seized the opportunity presented to him; too many dreamers but no interpreter.

He had learned to at least interpret his own dreams, so he knew he could interpret. He came to terms and became comfortable with the obscurity of his own dreams while helping others achieve theirs. He was fine with not telling of his own dreams and then became the teller of dreams. He realized that everyone has a dream that needed interpretation and soon enough Pharaoh dreamed a dream. He had been interpreting pro-bono, and that was where he honed his skills. Now, the stage was set for the million-dollar interpretation.

Guess what?

By not saying a word about his own dreams, but simply serving his Gift to his world, he walked right in to the fulfilment of his own 13-year-old dream.

Your dreams will not come through by telling the world about it, your dreams will come through by relentlessly serving the world your gift. Your dreams are your aspirations and desires, your gifts are the tools God has given you to chart the course towards your dreams.

Serving your Gift is the path to living your Dreams. How your Gifts are best designed to function is in service to others.

As for dreams, believe them, pray about them, share them with a few covenant relationships and keep them in your heart; then wield your gift(s) and begin to work them, develop them, apply them, in solving the problems of others.

Soon enough, you will arrive at the sweet spot called The Wealthy Place.
I pray for you, that The Lord will open your eyes to glorious opportunities as you lift your eyes off yourself and unto others in Jesus name.

I hope this blessed your heart.

Have a productive week ahead.

Dami Oguntunde
@damioguntunde