POTENTIAL AND TALENT

          Many people may believe the success is derived from one,s own talent. There is a talented athlete, talent to be artist, or employer. But in fact, the most talented athlete must train for years to be able to compete well. A talented singer should train many years to obtain a melodious voice. From that explanation, we can conclude that any success achieved by a person is not only as a result from talent, but also from hard work, perseverance and a willingness to learn.

          Actually, talent given by the God is not only in the form of talent alone, but God has given the main capital for us to develop. That capital ia as self-potential given to us from birth. The potentials are :

The First is time. Everyone has the same time, ie 24 hours. The diffrence is there are people who use their time wisely, but some waste time with not useful things. The time we leave is not long, therefore we sould use it to the fullest.

The second is mind. According to research our brain capacity is 100.000 Giga Byte. It is equivalent to 2.500 times the CPU capacity with a 40 GB hard disk. With such great ability of the  brain, will we waste this ability without willingness to develop it? Of course not? 

Third is power. Power can indeed be depleted as it is used. But the energy that continues to be trained will continue to increase its capabilities. People who practice weight lifting will be easy to lift the same load compared with those who do not want to train. Similarly, the strength of our soul. The more we are often in tension, then more flexible and powerful are the muscles of our souls in facing various problems.

          The three potentials must be used and developed as well as possible. The more we develop the talents is the more that God gives other talents that we will receive. Therefore, do not ever waste potential that exists  within us. Because that capital is beneficial to the welfare and future of our lives.  Keep trying to give the best of ourselves to day, then we will reap abundant result in the future.

PROVERTY AND HAPPINESS

          An Austria billionaire named Karl Rabeder, decided to donate his entire as amount of three million pounds, equivalent to Rp 50 billion after realizing his wealth did not make him happy. He sold his luxury villa with lake in the Alps as amount of Rp21 billion. He also sold houses and agricultural land with a value of Rp10 billion, six collections of gliders as amount Rp 6 Billion and a luxury car as amount of Rp 700 million. 

          Rabeder did not leave any of his wealth. Rabeder will out of his luxurious house, then retreated to a simple house. All proceeds from his wealth will be capital for charity institutions he founded in Central and Latin America. Since then, Rabeder said that he felt free  and no longer feel  burdened.

          Wealth is one of the important things that we must have for our own survival. Because without wealth, it is impossible for us to meet our daily needs. However, let us not make a wealth as a primary goal in our lives, as something that can ensure happiness and peace of our lives. Do not let wealth become a snare that makes our lives depend on them. Because if we begin to make the proverty as primary goal of our lives, we will not feel satisfied and happy. This was significantly realized by Rabeder, until he donated all his property and devide to live simply in old age.

          So our lives do not depend on the wealth that we have. Human life only depends on God. So do not let us bound and dependent on wealth. Rather, let our lives always depend on God because He is the source of life. Please use our wealth to share with others so that our wealth can be a blessing to others. Thus, our lives will be blessed and without knowing, we have accumulated a terasure in heaven that we can enjoy in eternal life later.

RIGHT MOTIVATION

          In a forest there are two wolves who are friends. A while the first wolf challenge the second to catch a rabbit, who was not far from them. Both wolves aceppted the challenge because they wanted to prove their prowess. The wolf ran at full speed for catching the rabbit. The rabbit spontaneously ran to save himself from the pursuit  of the wolf whose power far exceeds him. However it turns out, the wolf failed to catch the rabbit. Agility and speed to run of the rabbit turned out to is able to defeat the power and speed of a wolf that had been experienced in the hunt. The rabbit hide immediately the wolf fail to catch him. The first wolf was then asked, “Did you know why you failed to catch the rabbit?”  “I did not know, why?”  Replied the second wolf. The first wolf said, “You failed because you were not serious. The rabbit ran faster because he had to save his life, while you ran and chased him just to show off your greatness”.

          The above story provides a valuable lesson for us that a person’s  motivation to do any works will determine the results he get. Many people work in the same place, in the same position, the same task but they  do produce something diffrent. Actually, all depend on their motivation in the work. If people work with the wrong motivation then they will not get the maximum results. Although he obtain the result (materially), he will not satisfied with what he has been achieved. Therefore, let us consider well, what is our motivation in working to date. Do we work just as chasing material, popularity, position or show off to prove to others that we are superior to them? Remember, that the work we are doing now has been entrusted by God to us for us to do with as much as possible. We do not need to confuse about material because it is all provided by God for us. But, work and do it with all your heart, as working for the Lord rather than for human. Work as well as possible because that is our worship to God, that will bring blessing to our lives. That is the true motivation, that God  wants in our lives.

SELF EVALUATION

There is a famous comedian who had asked someone about what is the secret of his success attracting the audiencess when he appeared on stage. The comedian replied, “When I am in front of the audience and do not get a good response, I do not directly blame them and say,” these people are dead from the neck up, those people are bunch of dead statues. “I have never done that. I just ask myself, “What is wrong with me today? Audiences there are alright, but I am wrong”.

One of the ways that we are getting perfect performance is to improve ourselves. But before we improve ourselves, we should evaluate ourselves first. We do not need to blame others for the mistake and failures that may occur. 

Like someone in front of a mirror, he automatically will know which part is less from himself and he will improve it immediately  so that other people who see will not think bad. Actually others is a reflection of ourselves. They will assess, either with their words and attitude towards us. So what we need to have is the sensitivity to understand what others see in us. Maybe we also need to use the “glasses” from others see ourselves more objectively.Do not in a hurry to judge others, but take a look at ourselves first. So, let us continue to improve ourselves. Not only in our looks only, but the important thing is our attitude and character, because that is what will determine the extent to which the success that we obtain. It is not easy to transform ourselves totally, but we can do it by little. By training and familiarizing ourselves, we do not do previous bad habits and replace them with good habits. And one thing to remember, ask for strength, hope and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our steps so that what we do can be pleased to God.

FRUIT OF A HONESTY

          We all may agree and acknowledge that honesty is something that is getting harder and more expensive to find these days. Which is sadder, those who should be an role model of honesty would involve in dishonest actions. So before the situation gets worse, the courage to be assertive is urgently  needed to combat dishonesty. This is shown by government of Bihar, India.

Some time ago, the government of Bihar city stated that approximately  1.600 students have been expelled from school after being caught cheating during high school final exams. The students cheat with answer from small books or records. Even in some cases, this action is also assisted by their parents. The parents who participated in supervising exams often throw the answer to their son, or leave the answer to someone else. Understandably, cheating seems to have become a habit in the Bihar city.

          The Ministry of Education in Bihar city then decided to act decisively by expelling the students who get caught cheating. They expelled just follow the exam three years later. While the parents who were caught helping their sons were fined up to 2.000 rupees or imprisonment of six months. Is it too cruel punishment? Obviously not. The Departement of Education does not only want to stop the habit of cheating, but also want to change the future of Bihar population. As you know, Bihar is the poorest state in the Indian with literacy rate reached 36 %. When people of Bihar want to have a better future, then all the bad habits must be stopped from then on. Cheating habit is a proof that they are not honest people. 

          Awareness for not fraud as cheating during exams, is actually one small example of the honesty quality existing in a person. However, if a person can not be honest in small things, is there any guarantees that he will be able to be honest in the larger cases? Obviously not,  “Those who can be trusted in small things, could be also trusted in big things : But those who cannot be trusted in small things, cannot also be trusted in big things”.

          Sometimes we think that honesty is simply a willingness to talk as it is. Say yes if yes, and say no if not. Such understanding is not wrong. However, it should be realized that honesty  is not only related to what we say, but also with what we do. When our speaking and actions can in line with honesty, it is what to say as positive self integrity.The problem is, the courage to be honest in our words and actions is not as easy as turning the palm of the hand. But it will never be too difficult if we continue considering the big impact that will never receive later.

          Once there was an old beggar named Billy Ray Harris. That day he was begging and a woman give him an alms. Sometime after the woman went, Harris casually lifted the can used to collect alms to calculate it. Unexpectedly, in addition to coins turned out to be a diamond ring inside.

Meanwhile the woman named Sarah darling, panicked when she discovered her ring missing. He hurried back to the place of the beggar earlier, but did not find him anymore. The next day he went back over there again and this time she met Harris. She asked if Harris found a valuable item. Honestly, Billy said, “Yes, I purposely kept it and will left it to you when you come back here”.

           The honesty of Billy touched her and her husband,s heart. The couple organized the online help with writing a story of honesty from a beggar who would return a diamond ring to its owner. Within 30 days they had collected donation as amount of US$ 0383 (about Rp1.2 billion). Harris was very surprised awarded prize  as many as that. Because according to him, what he did should be rightly done as a human. It,s not something uncommon. However, the appreciation was also cofirming also how the honesty is missed by every insane. Presumably, this story is so inspiring for us to always be honest. Not only the people from the lower classes, but also the government officials. Honesty is a shied for those who do that.