THE SIGNIFICANCE OF YOUR
POSITIVE INTEREST

By Omorovie M. Ikeke

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. Judges 11:1-3

Each human being is interested in many things in life. Some of these interests may be positive or negative. If you have a negative interest in something in life, you ought to destroy it. The concern of this reflection is on positive interests. In this reflection, the word “interest” will be used synonymously as “desire.” The word “interest” means a feeling of concern, curiosity or what you love to involve in.

Each human being is born with interests hidden inside. Our fundamental interest is the interest to be loved, affirmed or to find significance in life. As you go through life, you discover some interests hidden in you and you also develop new interests. There is nobody who exists without an interest in some persons, places, or purpose.

Your positive interests are God-given or Spirit-inspired. Many interests we have in life are natural interests. They are interests, which normally people do not consider when discussing spiritual gifts and vocation. These interests may include interests in traveling, cooking, reading books, stamp collection, keeping our environment clean, arranging the hymnals after religious service, gardening, making friends, photography, etc. Interests like these and many others are called hobbies.

I am strongly convinced that our interests and hobbies need to feature more in the discussion of gifts and the spiritual life. I also believe that our hobbies have a great role to play in our lives. They can constitute the bedrock of the vocation that God calls us to. Spiritual gifts do not destroy our natural talents or hobbies. They build and draw upon them to shape us into the ministry God calls us to.

Rather than despise or even neglect your natural interests or hobbies, discover and develop them. It was Jephthah’s natural ability to fight, which he already had at home that he used to bring Israel victory. What you are interested in matters. Your place of efficiency is a clue to what you can use to bless the kingdom. There were many people God could have called to build the ark at the time of Noah. It is possible one of the reasons God called Noah was that he had a shipbuilding talent. I do believe that what God calls you to fulfil, God will give you ability to do. Equally what God has placed in you as a natural ability God will not despise or bypass. It is God’s will that you discover your natural talent and use it.

Value what you have been given by God, even if it is not called a “spiritual gift” in the spiritual literature. You can use your interest in traveling to research the most awesome places that people in your group can go for retreats or seminars. You can use your interest to help them find the cheapest means of transportation, etc. You can use your interest in photography to archive and keep the memory of any group you belong to. Your group may not appreciate your value now but they will be so glad one day when they look back and are able to recall their story through the photographs you kept. Do you have a special ability at arranging things? You can use it to give aesthetic beauty to the place where your group meets.

Your interest may hold the key to your future. After all you cannot find fulfillment in what you are not interested in. If you are interested in reading children literature, it is a clue to what you have been given by God. You may have a gift in children ministry. Your interest in reading love stories can be an indication that you can develop a vocation as a relationship counselor. What you hate can reveal what you are called to heal. What your passion burns for may be an indication to what you are called to embrace.

There is something in your life that God is calling you to develop. You are a person of limitless possibilities.

Potentiality Affirmations

• There is value in the hobbies I possess in life.
• I commit myself to discover my natural talents.
• I am to be fruitful with my natural abilities.
• What God has given to me God does not despise.

Prayer for Today

“That my eyes may be opened to see the beauty of the world.”