THE DANGER OF BEING GIFTED!

A gift in your hands is like owning a piece of jewelry. Being talented
is like having a gem. Many may get attracted to it though you may
mistakenly misinterpret as attraction to you. Many may flock after you
because of what is in your hands. If the jewelry changes hands, they
will change their following!
Sometimes, the most gifted people are exposed to the worst of dangers.
Many people walk into their lives chasing after what is in their
hands… not that which is in their hearts. Many a times, others cash in
on their influence. They hang around them because of their fame. They
feign smiles just to get what they want.

That gift that may make you wanted is the same gift that may leave you
shattered. The talent that makes you feel pampered is that same
possession that may always leave you lonely. When you tend to get all
the attention because of your amazing skills, don't get all excited.
The attention may only last as long as those skills last.

Gifts, like every possession, attract friends; both good and bad ones.
Your gifts will particularly attract sycophants. Our talents
oftentimes attract others who especially badly need us only as long as
we have those talents. Watch out!
Like a magnet, talent attracts all manner of people. It is at this
point that one should be utterly careful who they entrust what to. Not
everyone who walks into our lives should stay. Others should just pass
through. A fan should not necessarily be a friend!
Sometimes, though our gifts may seem to glow, we don't grow any much
because of the characters we have kept around us. We have given
permanent accommodation to people who should have stayed just
temporarily. Your talent will always attract all sorts of characters
but not all of them are meant to stay. Sieve them!
It is sometimes, if not oftentimes, a danger to be gifted. Gift zone
is danger zone. One has to be on the lookout when they get all the
attention shone on their gifts. You are not your gift and your gift is
not you. Who you are is you character. What you have is your gift!

When we have people praising our gifts to the heavens, we ought to
resist the urge of being swollen-headed. A man's weakest point is when
he measures his self-worth according to what others think about him.
Back in class three, I had a friend. He was the tallest in class;
somewhat the most famous, too. Guess what. He always had a dirty shirt
because he was almost always responsible for cleaning the blackboard.
His height which was supposed to be an advantage was now his
disadvantage!
As if that was not enough, he was in charge of anything the short ones
were excused from. Though all the beautiful girls fawned over him, it
was just because he could use his height to protect them!
Sometimes, your advantage can be your biggest disadvantage. Your gift
can be your ugliest nightmare. Thing is, many people may fall in love
with your gifts… but not you. Many suitors may fall in love with what
you have… but not who you are. Little wonder many celebrity marriages
are as short lasting as Chinese products!

The danger of being gifted is that you will attract masses who may
only walk in to have a piece of your gift. They will want to reap from
your influence. They will make money off it. They will give you all
the attention because your gift is getting all the attention, too. As
soon as that gift ceases to shine like before, they disappear to chase
after their next victim.
You may be as strong as Samson but may only attract Delilahs who only
want you for what you have. You may be multi-gifted as David but your
friends around may only be who they are because of the privileges that
come with being associated with you.
Every gift can be a danger. Isn't it an irony that gifted people who
are supposed to find true love easily instead barely find it? Isn't it
ironical that those who are supposed to have the largest following
sometimes feel depressed and lonely? The supposed true love turns ugly
when all the public attention is gone.
Love others for their personality… not ability. Love them for who they
are… not what they have. Who they are, they will always be. What they
have, however, only time will tell. True love pays attention to
character. Pretense pays attention to gifts.

Are you gifted? Are you talented? May you never be like my tall friend
who was only needed when his gifts were needed— tall but always with a
dirty shirt— all famous but always all lonely.
May the Lord deliver you from evil; from people who badly need only
what you have… but not who you are. Flee from others who only accept
you because of your gifts. Your gifts you may not always have… but
you'll always be who you are.
Always know that what you have is not who you are. Cheers!

WRITTEN BY:
Kobina Ansah

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