Use or Lose

U

se or Lose by

Oyeniyi Oluseye

Use connotes being employed for a purpose. When something is being used, it means the thing is useful, important and needed for a certain purpose.

   The word use has over time been misinterpreted as describing the employing of a material or even a human, for a certain purpose and having no sense of attachment to such thing. Interestingly people also employ the word ‘use’ when describing being taken undue advantage of such as; the politicians only use thugs to achieve their political ambition and abandon them after the elections.

     While this article does not overlook or ignore the fact that people take advantage of other people, it also seeks to highlight the fact that when a thing or person is said to be employed for a certain purpose which should be noble, that act is a productive and a potentially evolutionary transaction between both the employer and the employed, hence should be taken with privilege and respect. A tool such as knife, if it is not being put to use for a long time will experience bluntness, such that it loses its sharpness. A machine that is left idle and unused for long will have to be ignited to work effectively.

       The book of Proverbs says ‘to him that has much more will be added and to him who does not have even that which he has will be taken from him. This was aptly described in the parable of a master who gave talents of varying amount to his different servants and it was stated that when he came back he requested for a report of how each had utilized the talents given; the one given five talents had multiplied it, while the one who was given one talent just hid it.

        The master reproved the one who hid the talent given to him, and asked that is one talent be taken from him, while additional talents to be given to the one who has earlier had five talents.

         The story above highlights the fact that; a utilized thing or person increases in value while an unutilized one diminishes in value.

          A fund puts to use in business becomes a capital which ultimately generates profits.

        A seed planted in the ground as though buried, dies and grows to birth new seeds and much fruits.

         It is therefore an error and waste when people or resources are denied being properly employed or utilized. They lose their vigour, strength and skills gradually. It therefore becomes pathetic when people shy away from their duties because they claim they are being used.

          Developed nations are developed because the majority of their citizens are gainfully employed in productive activities thus raising the standard of living of the general population of the country while undeveloped country are undeveloped because the majority of the citizens have not been gainfully engaged in productive activities and therefore refuse to develop the collective standard of living of the populace.

         Talents, gifts and skills are developed when they are being utilised. The process of utilization may not always be smooth, easy and anciul; like a gold being dug from the mine, it’s a dirty, rigorous process but when it’s been harnessed and refined, it makes you a celebrity.

          This article does not in anyway encourage enslavement nor does it suggests living or working in an atmosphere of deprivation or ven harassment, but it seeks to inspire the reader to possess a learning spirit where he sees tasks given him as an opportunity to learn and his duties as an opportunity to develop himself as well as contribute his quota to development of humanity.

         Where tools and resources are seen not as play toys or even things to be dread or merely for consumption, but as instruments for advancement.