You Are Not Less Than What You Ought To Be – Part 3

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision” – Helen Keller

In his book, “Vision less life, Meaning less life” Dr Sunday Adelaja talks about a lady who broke the barriers of adversity. Her name is Hellen Keller.

Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Keller was born with her senses of sight and hearing, and started speaking when she was just 6 months old. In 1882, however, Keller contracted an illness - called “brain fever” that produced a high body temperature. Within a few days after the fever broke, Keller’s mother noticed that her daughter didn’t show any reaction when the dinner bell was rung, or when a hand was waved in front of her face. In simple terms she became deaf and blind.

In 1887, Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904.

This is a unique story. It is unique in many ways because her parents and teachers did whatever it takes to enable this young lady sail through life. She was so determined to learn and she became a worldwide sensation moving from one nation to another inspiring people with her story.

She was given a thunderous round of applause after speaking to an audience of many people. Everyone was eager and waiting to hear every word she was going to say. The room was dead silent; you could hear the drop of a pin. After her speech, it was time for questions. Her translator shared the questions with her and she was able to answer. The question was, “What would you prefer, being deaf or blind?” her answer was that, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”. Her response was like a knockout blow that came from nowhere.

A woman who lost her sight and hearing at childhood overcame this enormous challenge and achieved much more than those who had their two eyes and ears.

Dr Sunday Adelaja writes and says that, “Hers was an incredible life. Beyond words, she had truly proven to her audience and to the world that ‘the only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision” and that she has shown that vision is the greatest possession of a man, not eyesight.

See this video of her story

Don’t Despise or Look Down On Yourself

My dear reader, I hope by now after reading about Hellen Keller, you will sit back look at how blessed you are and get rid of all the excuses. We have so many excuses about why we can’t do this or that. There are many stereotypes we have labelled on ourselves. Some of us have even said that, “These things are for a chosen few”. I want to believe that in the uniqueness that God has created you with, he has a purpose for you. Everybody has a significance, all they have to do is find their significance, that is what Noeline Kirabo would tell anyone she is inspiring.

"You can live for more if you dare to dream beyond your wildest expectations. Dreaming is free but success comes at a cost. Dare to dream and live for more" - Noeline Kirabo

I still want to remind someone out there, that no disability, no lack, no hindrance can stop them from fulfilling their purpose in this life. Be like Hellen Keller, go out and study, go out and inspire, go out and do what seems impossible. Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it is done”.

Stir Up the Gift Within You

In the Bible, Paul told Timothy to stir up the gift that was in him. Sometimes you need to be reminded that you have value within you, that you are a world changer, that you have the solution to the underlying problems. We only get better when we convert our time into tangible results and use it wisely. Have you been dreaming about sorting out the mess of corruption in this world, helping street children find homes, feeding the hungry in this nation (Probably doing farming at another level). Are you tired of our education system, what are you doing about all these things? When you start getting disturbed about some of these things, those are signs that you need to deal with them.

On a personal note, I have seen how the issue of personal finance is a big issue to individuals, families, churches etc I have seen how people are indebted and it bothers me, I believe there is a solution, that pushed me to self-educate and apply the principles I learnt in my life, and this is because I wanted to first see change in my life. Now I can fully share and help people where I have failed before. I am a long life student, learning doesn’t stop after one success story. I have and continue to invest time in learning, I have found truth is God’s word and books have read, it is so revealing how truth sets one free. 

Proverbs 24:5 NLT The wise are mightier than the strong and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. You want to get stronger and stronger, don't sit back, seek knowledge, seek truth and be transformed by it

This is what Michael Althsuler had to say about Time, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot”. King Solomon said it best, “Yet another thing I observed under the sun is that races aren’t won by the swift or battles by the strong, and that food doesn’t go to the wise or wealth to the intelligent or favor to the experts; rather time and chance rule them all” Eccl. 9:11 (CJB). 

I believe Hellen Keller is a product of using her time well, instead of complaining about her state, she embraced who she was and God used her to inspire and empower others. 

Let me end by saying this, “You aren’t less than what you ought to be, you have been made for more.” Be visionary like Hellen Keller, you don’t need to see with your physical eyes, all you need is insight from God on what he has purposed for you to do on this earth.

There are many other examples of those who never chose the status quo, who never chose to become victims of circumstance, they believed that all things work out for good, they let their lessons of hardship fuel them to achieve their dreams, and they have become a blessing to many. The story of Lisa Nichols on Never Being Broke Again is one that will propel you to wake up.

#Impact #Empower #Transform