THE MAXIMIZED LIFE by Daniel Yohanna

Most people live and die without utilising the full potentials within them. One reason for this is that they do not realise nor recognise the underlying potentials in them. Another reason is that they do not nurture, develop and release these potentials. So they are actually operating below capacity. I have a 2.9KVA generating plant. When I first acquired it, it supplied enough power for almost all appliances in the house, including the electric iron. Months afterwards, it could not carry the refrigerator, much less the electric iron. The rating is still the same – 2.9KVA, but it was not operating optimally. It was operating below capacity. So many people are like that – operating below capacity.
You can work on your potentials by acknowledging where you are and moving to another level.
First of all, you must realize what you’re worth.  Your net worth is not your self-worth. Your salary or income is not a reflection of your worth. Your true value cannot be determined by your valuables. You are invaluable and priceless, a jewel of inestimable value.
If you take a hundred naira note, and squeeze it, that doesn’t reduce its value. If you march it, its value does not depreciate because it is covered with dirt. That it is torn does not remove or reduce its value either except if it is completely mutilated.
Your circumstances do not define who you are. Where you’re coming from is inconsequential to your destiny.
The story is told about a giant statue of Budha that stood in the way a road construction in Thailand. The Government resolved to relocate it without destroying it. It was successfully lifted and moved away, but as it was being lowered, something tragic happened, as it began disintegrating, albeit, revealing something amazing. Underneath the moulded clay was a figure of pure solid gold. The same statue that was worth a few hundred dollars suddenly became worth some hundreds of thousands of dollars in value.
Let no man under-value you simply because you are not presently employed, or are struggling today. The struggles are good for your development.
A young man saw the pupa of a butterfly wriggling, attempting to break through the maggot-like chrysalis. Out of curiosity, the boy took a closer look to discover a little hole in the pupa. He took a pin and punctured it to free the little butterfly. It came out, but could not fly. Wondering why, he was told he shouldn’t have helped the butterfly to break through its confinement. It would come out naturally. The struggle was necessary for the development of its wing and give them the strength they need to fly.
Have you been let down before? Abandoned? Forsaken? Refused help? Don’t get bitter. It was meant to make you better. Through the struggle you’ll become a better person.
When you take a look at the one hundred naira note, you will find a picture, and underneath is inscribed, “Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987)”. The two dates under his name are separated by hyphen. The first date is his entry into the world, while the second is his exit date. Everything else about his life – his educational attainment, his marital life, his children, his legal practice, his political accomplishments, his oratorical and leadership abilities, his economic prowess, his business acumen, his presidential ambition, his political trials – everything about him, was simply represented with and encapsulated in a hyphen, a dash. Life then is an appointment between two dates. It is a hyphen or dash between two dates.
One day, you too will be described by a hyphen between two dates. All you did or became or accomplished would be represented by a dash. You are filling in that dash now, just in the same way you write an examination in which you are required to fill in the gap. In such exams, it’s either you know the answer or you don’t, you can’t guess your way through.
So, what are you filling your own “dash” with? When all is said and done, what will be left of you?
If you were to write your own epitaph, what would it be like?
If you were to come to the end of the road, would that epitaph be written on your tombstone?
It is pertinent to note that longevity does not determine validity. The man that lived the longest in history, Methuselah, had nothing written about him apart from the fact that he was married, gave birth to children, and that was it.
Then notice again, that no matter how long you live, no matter how much you even accomplish, the dash is the same length. For example, on the 500 Naira note is the face of Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who lived between 1904 and 1996. He was older, and lived longer than Chief Awolowo. He achieved more politically, yet the hyphen is the same with Pa Awolowo’s. Could we then agree with King Solomon that everything in life is vanity and vexation of spirit (Eccle. 1:14)?
What would you be remembered for? Your contributions or destructions, your alcoholism? Social recklessness? Moral bankruptcy? Armed robbery or other social vices and notoriety?
By the way you live and the things you do, you are constantly filling up “the dash” of your life.
It doesn’t matter how empty it has been, start living positively today. Forget the misadventures and misdemeanors of the past. And don’t wait till tomorrow either. You can’t do anything about yesterday – it’s gone forever. You can’t do anything about tomorrow either because it is not here yet.
Yesterday is in the tomb and tomorrow is in the womb. All you have is today. That’s the only place you will ever be. Use it profitably.
John Mason said, “Success comes to the man who does today what others were thinking of doing tomorrow.”
Jimmy Lyons said, “Tomorrow is the only day in the year that appeals to a lazy man.”
“If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.” (Eccle. 11:4, TLB). Start today with what you have right where you are.
Zig Ziglar said, “You must be willing to do today what others won’t in order to be able to have tomorrow what others can’t have.”
There are 4 ways people live:
1. Living for yourself.
This is self-centredness. It is described as egoism – the habit of valuing everything only in reference to one’s personal interest. Everything revolves around you. You are only pre-occupied with you, yourself and yours; you’re only concerned about things that will benefit you. The result is egocentricity. In any venture, your first question is, “What is in there for me?”
Norman Vincent Pearle observed, “The man who lives for himself is a failure. Even if he gains much wealth, power or position, he is still a failure.’’
John Mason said, “The man who believes in nothing but himself lives in a very small world. The best way to be happy is to forget yourself and focus on other people. The higher you go in life, the more dependent you become on other people.”
2. Living for others
   It is a greater call to live for the benefit of others. This is called altruism. It is the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others
Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Albanian born Roman Catholic Nun, founder of Missionaries of Charity, and Nobel Laureate, left her privileged position of a principal because she was moved by the presence of the sick and dying on the city’s streets. She won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work among the poor in India and around the world. She generated a lot of money and financial resources but used all to better the lives of others. She lived where they lived and ate what they ate, unlike other Missionaries that lived in more sophisticated neighbourhoods in their Mission field.
This is not someone doing things for the sake of recognition. A lot of philanthropists have some hidden motives as they donate to projects either for some political dream, or they could be given a chieftaincy title or some other kind or reward.
John D. Rockefeller (the youngest self-made millionaire in his time and the then richest man in the world), made several millions of dollars, which he gave away. Up till today, his foundation is still supporting projects around the world. Your valuables do not determine your value. "A man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses." (Luke 12:15).
Recently, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, the two richest men in the world, came together and gathered 50 of the world’s richest men and challenged them to give away at least half of their possessions in the remaining years of their lives. Money or wealth or fame or even power, are not the ultimate in life. They are meant to be some means to an end and not an end in themselves.
3. Living for a cause.
    Everyone was made to fulfill a purpose. You will find fulfillment and contentment in life when you fulfill that purpose. Revolutionaries are people who live for a cause. It may cost them their fortunes, their privileges or even their lives. If you don’t have something worth dying for, you won’t have something worth living for.
If you can’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
 Martin Luther King, Jr. was moved by the racial segregation and disenfranchisement the blacks were subjected to in America.
 He began to fight for an end to such oppression. He lived and died for the dream he pursued. He traversed America with his timeless declaration, “I have a dream.”
One of his speeches was, ’’I have a dream that my sons will one day live in a country where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.’’
Though he didn’t live to see the full fulfillment of his dream, he is being celebrated today. Every January, a holiday is given in the USA to honour this man. Because of his crusades, today a black man occupies the White House, sitting as President of America. If there was no Martin Luther King, Jr., there wouldn’t be a Barack Obama ruling America.
Once the children of Israel were engaged in battle against the Philistines. Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines threw a challenge to the Israelites to provide a representative for a combat with him. David was rebuked by his elder brother for offering himself and venturing to enter a duel with the giant, an adventure even the king was unwilling to try. To this, David quipped, "Is there not a cause?" (1Sam. 17:29). People who are purpose-driven pursue missions that ultimately make them larger than life.
 Are you living in such a way as to add value to others, or are you living just for yourself?
Locate the next person in need, and do what you can to make a difference, and that’s the way to begin. The only way to start is to start.
This brings us to another point.
4. Living for God.
In fact, this Scripture is very explicit about this:
" For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died;  And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake." (2Cor.5:14-15, AMP).
 God made you for a purpose. You didn't make yourself. You may have your own plans in life, but you need to find out if they align with God's purpose.
Prov. 19:21 says there are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless, it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
When you live for God, you will seek to please Him at all times and in all things. You will never do or want to do anything that is contrary to His will for your life. You greatest desire will be, just like Jesus, to do God's will (John 6:38) and to finish His work (John 4:34). Remember, it is God that made us and not ourselves (Psa. 100:3). You are not a self-made man or woman.
Follow your heart. Serve God with your life and time and resources. The Lord bless you.
It’s a new day for you!
Follow me on Twitter @DanielYohanna.
Or meet me 8am every Sunday @ The Brook Tabernacle, Mr Bigg’s Hall, Morocco Roundabout, Somolu, Lagos.