“Your Mama know say you dey sing like this?”
Sometime in September 2021, a video of a 17year old girl who sings beautifully and with ease, trended on social media. The below short conversation took place between the teenager and the person doing the video.
“Teenager: Sings
Interviewer: Your mama know say you sabi sing? (Is your mother aware that you can sing?)
Teenager: No
Interviewer: Hey!!! Wahala oooo.”
It is difficult to believe that the parents or guardian of a child with such a melodious voice does not know that she could sing this good.
The above short conversation raised a lot of questions in my mind and I would like us to consider them.
- Parents should be careful not to ignore raw gifts in their children. This usually happens when parents have already concluded in their hearts, what they want the children to be in future. Consequently, they tend to either ignore or strongly discourage it any other trait.
It is not wrong to have plans for our children. We should however not cast it on stone but allow things to unfold while we listen to God for divine direction. After all, every good and perfect gift comes from God. James 1:17.
These gifts are sometimes pointers to what God had destined them to become. By their fruits, we shall know them. Matthew 7:20.
If a child can sing like this and her parents are not aware, it tells a lot about the relationship that exists between the child and the parents.
Here is the risk. They either lose the gift because they were not helped to nature it or they become vulnerable in the search for listening ears.
When a stranger is able to acknowledge these gifts or talent before their parents, they may natural let down all guards. A lot of children, girls especially, have been ruined in their search for who will hear them out.
- After the video went viral, a popular TV personality Dr. Reuben Abati, in a studio discussion where this issue was being discussed, called on a popular music producer, Don Jazzy, and other producers to please consider signing the teenager into their music label. This got me thinking too.
I got worried about the fact that I have not seen anywhere on social media where a popular church, pastor, gospel artist or producer has been called to see how the little girl can be assisted to become a gospel artist or to encourage her to consider becoming a gospel artist.
No one is making such call is because we are not known for assisting young talents. We would rather wait for them to be embraced by the world and then start criticizing them. Perhaps, we do not understand the strategic importance of supporting gospel artists and every other gospel ministry.
The body of Christ should pay attention to talents and stop making feel that all they are expected to do is to minister in church and then go out to look for other means to earn a living. They should be able to see a future in their passion even in the church. Very few churches try to develop young talents but the world embraces them.
When the likes of Don Jazzy decide to pick a talent from the church and turn her into another Tiwa Savage, the same church will start to complain “why is she exposing her private parts online?” Forgetting that when she needed a spiritual covering, we were not there for her.
The bigger picture is that there is a struggle between two kingdoms for souls. We cannot continue to feel unconcerned. Everyone has a role to play and when as a Christian, you decide to stand and look, you are playing a role.
Some ministries take pride in supporting their gospel artists massively and Christ Embassy is one of such ministries. However, this task is not for churches only, but for everyone who identifies as part of the body of Christ. Other areas of the creative industry should be supported too.
You may want to read the below bible verses for reference.
Proverbs 11:25: “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Matthew 25:44-45: “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”
Mark 10:21: “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’”
Proverbs 19:17: “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
Luke 3:10-11: “‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’”
Luke 6:28: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Proverbs 22:9: “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
We should not continue like this and I believe I have spoken the mind of God