“Then he said to Jether, his oldest son, “Go ahead, kill them!” But the boy did not draw his sword. He hesitated, because he was still only a boy. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, kill us yourself. It takes a man to do a man’s job.” So Gideon killed them and took the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.” (Judg 8:21GNT)
One of the things I still appreciate about my childhood is the fact that I could dream as I big as I wanted without recognising any limitation. I am sure you too can relate to that. As children, we just dream and keep on dreaming about all kinds of things we want to do and become. We are not afraid to dream big at all. And that is because we don’t recognise limitation or boundaries. But as we grow older and can better relate to life, the reality of what we can actually do or not do begin to dawn on us. And it is only those among us who lose no time in embracing this reality that will most likely be saved from wasting their lives in pursuit of things that are beyond them
From the text I gave you above, one thing is very clear, which is that a man cannot perform beyond his ability unless he is divinely enabled. Gideon had captured two of the leaders of the enemies of the Israelites and was ready to execute them. But then, he suddenly felt he should leave the honour of doing so to his firstborn son. At least, that would toughen him a little and also give him a reputation among the mighty.
Unfortunately, this son of his was just too afraid to do so. But he was dressed for battle that day and perhaps had dreamt before of a day in which he too would kill some mighty men and become renowned like his father. Why, then, would he do nothing with the opportunity to make a name for himself on that occasion? Fear of the reality! As he stood before those two Kings, Zebah and Zalmunna, and saw the kinds of men they were, the courage to kill left him, even though they were at his mercy – he just suddenly realised that the ability to handle them was not in him. And those men, realising what was happening, told Gideon, “It takes a man to do a man’s job. Do this yourself.”
Now, do you understand what that means? Well, it means it is not enough to have great dreams in life or to be presented with great opportunities; we also need abilities to be able to realise our dreams or to take advantage of the opportunities that come to us to do great things. I know that motivational speakers often admonish people to dream big. And that is okay. But regardless of how big and selfless your dream maybe, if you lack the abilities needed to realise it, you will not be able to do anything about it, even if you are presented with the opportunities to do so.
So, don’t just dream big; also be sure you have the abilities required to realise your big dreams. Then, if you observe that you don’t have the abilities needed to bring your dreams to pass, see if you can learn or pay to acquire them and do so. But if what is needed is not what you can learn, acquire or pay for, it is better you drop the idea and begin afresh to dream dreams that are consistent with your abilities or realities. Otherwise, you may end up wasting your life pursuing something that is never meant to be yours.
Finally, learn to talk to God about your dreams, whether you have abilities to realise them or not. The bible says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain.” (Cf. P 127:1) If you don’t want to realise someday that all that you have done is for nothing, even with all your skills, diligence, devotion, and resources, always put God first in your matters. Then He will direct your path, enable you to realise the desires of your heart, and also grant you satisfaction in doing so. And even if your desires and dreams are inconsistent with your abilities or His purpose for your life, by committing your matter into His hands you are making it possible for Him to save you from wasting your life on unprofitable things. So, put God first in all your quests and aspirations in life, and you will be glad someday that you did so.
By: J.O. Lawal | Date: June 24, 2020
Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 3, No. 6
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