I was at this restaurant eating a delicious meal when a local herbal medicine seller walks into the restaurant holding his bottles of local medicine in his hand, advertising his herbal medicine product while shouting at the top of his voice. One of the restaurant waiters asked him how much was he selling his medicine.
The man replied her ‘one thousand nairas (#1000) only’ the lady shouted ‘haba’, and said it was too expensive.
A young man sitting next to me waiting to serve his food as well said to the medicine man,
‘Oga the thing is too expensive’
the medicine man said ‘it is because you don’t know my medicine…..you can’t use my medicine and not come to give testimony of how good the medicine is the local medicine man said.
Then the man asked the medicine man, ‘why are you even selling it, is it not God’s gift to you, and are those plants not free in the bush, are you not supposed to be given it out for free, so why are you selling it?’
On hearing the question from the man next to my table I almost laughed out loud but I was being careful not to choke with my food so I had to hold my laugh within.
I knew the question from the man sitting next to my table to the local medicine man will throw up an uproar so I kept quiet waiting to hear the next response from the medicine man.
Then the medicine man looked at the young man badly and asked him what his profession was and the man told him that he is a medical doctor.
Hearing this again I almost laughed out loud too.
Because it was like a game of contest between two doctors: the English and the local doctor.
The medicine man looked at the medical doctor who is asking him why is he selling his medicine up and down as though someone who has committed a huge offense.
Then the local medicine man asked the medical doctor that ‘why do you doctors also collect money from people to treat them, isn’t the knowledge and the medicine a gift from God in your life to be able to study to know how to treat people, and as well the medicine made from plants that are freely given by God’
On hearing this, the medical doctor paused at first not knowing what to answer the local medicine man.
Then after a few seconds, he said ‘it is because I paid to be trained to be a doctor
Then the local medicine man also said ‘do you think I didn’t pay to also be trained to know the right leaves to be used for different sickness right’
The doctor looked at the local medicine man and kept quiet. While the whole people in the restaurant stir at the local medicine man and the doctor in their battle of words.
As some of the people began to ask for a bottle of his local medicine.
Then after eating and haven’t left the restaurant, the thought began to roll through my mind, that isn’t this what some of us were told of not to sell our God-given gifts that it from God that it shouldn’t be sold, me while they sell their services without thinking to also know that it was with God strength, knowledge and grace that they can also render such gift for money.
And come to think of it is there any gift that is from the devil, That can or should be sold?
The truth is God is the giver of all gifts but the intention and the use of the gift is what matters to God.
Proverbs 18:16 said A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.
The truth is we all in one way or the other have a gift from God, whether in words, craftwork, or any form of creative skill.
If you can sell your gift of creative art, another person can also sell his or her gift of word art.
The bible said seeth through a man diligent in his work, he will stand before Kings and not mere men. Prover 22:29.
It is only those that are diligent in their workings with their gift, that has to develop their God-given gifts that are qualified to stand before Kings.
I call you the reform
Ehigamen kingsley
