THEME: STANDING OUT TOPIC: MAKING YOURSELF RELEVANT {Anchor Scriptures I Pet 2:9; Deut 14:2}

BY PST. OLATUNDE AJIBOYE

UNDERSTANDING THE TOPIC The Oxford English Dictionary defines "relevance"

as "the state of being closely connected or appropriate to the matter in hand."  To be relevant is thus to be important or significant.

To be relevant, an action or person must be connected to a larger scheme, a grander plan--the ultimate "matter in hand."

In the business world, to be relevant means being an integral part of your organization, of your company, of the economy, and of the future. It means being the kind of person on whom others depend, whether for leadership, expertise, acumen, or emotional support.

RECIPE FOR RELEVANCE 1. Be AuthenticThis entails knowing who you are at the deepestlevel," being" that person in your internal thoughtprocesses, and finally appearing to others asyou are, without pretence. Authenticity is the foundation of relevance becauseif you don't understand who you are, and whereyou're "coming from, you can't possibly lead orinfluence others."You achieve authenticity through a rigorousinventory of your strengths and a systematicmapping of the moments in your life when you'vebeen both highly effective and extremely satisfied. In practice, authenticity allows you to"be real“.

2. Achieve More Mastery

Mastery is essential because, if you have no usefulskills, you cannot be useful to others.It goes beyond mere competence and skills.It means approaching one's life and relationshipsas an act of creation, rather than a reaction topeople and events. It means expanding yourprinciples and practices so that they serve a greaterpurpose.You achieve mastery through a process of continu-ous improvement of your talents and abilities. Itrequires the ability to put first things first, to takeaction before it is forced upon you, and to staymindful while taking action.

3. Be More Empathetic

Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to someextent, share feelings being experienced byanother being.

It is the source of compassion, caring for otherpeople, and the desire to help. It means the abilityto experience the same emotions that another isfeeling, without undue judgment.

Empathy creates relevance because it creates thedeep connection that brings people together.

3. CONTDIn business, there are three levels of empathy viz:

i}"on demand" empathy-which is the ability to sensewhat customers want.

Ii}"solution" empathy, which entails understanding acustomer's problem and figuring out how to address it. Iii} "transcendent" empathy where you createsolutions to problems that customers don't evenknow that they have.

4. UNDERSTAND THE ORGANIZATION'S DIRECTION

This is crucial for you as you cannot be relevantwhen loose focus/track of the organization’sdirection.

You must know and have a good understanding ofher Vision, Mission statement, the strategies to beemployed for the vision to become a reality while you find and identify your own place of assignmentfor value addition.

5. Know Your Customer/Get Your Customer to Know You

In making yourself relevant you must identify andknow your target audience. In this context, peoplethat wants to be raised, the poor that wants to berich and the rich that wants to be richer!

The next step in making yourself relevant is tocreate a promotional/ advertising campaign for yourbrand. Ask yourself how your product — skills,experience, and education-enables you to betterserve your targeted audience?

6. Take More ActionIt is your actions, ultimately, that make you relevant toothers. All the authenticity, mastery and empathy in theworld remain sterile, until and unless put into motion. It isthrough action that you change yourself and change theworld. Without action, even a great and brilliant mind andsoul remains entirely irrelevant.Action has four elements: impetus, vector, accelerationand velocity. Impetus determines whether you considerthe action important enough to take. Vector is the directionyour action takes you either towards your goals or awayfrom it.Acceleration reflect your level of commitment and howmuch action you're willing to take. Velocity is the energythat carries you forward, even when you're not fully awareof it.

7. Know When to Stay and When to Leave

Knowing when one season is over and one is readyto begin is a crucial skill you must have if you areto remain relevant. There is time for everything under the heaven andjust like the men of Issahcar you need to have theunderstanding of time so as to know what to do pertime.

Likewise learn how to say No when it is necessary!

8. STEADFASTNESSThe place of steadfastness is key in makingyourself relevant.

Steadfastness is keeping to ones track withoutmaking allowance for distractions. It is goingonward and forward inspite all odds {oppositions, rejection and hostilities}.

Is 50:7 speaks of Christ steadfastness in prophecy“for the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I notbe confounded: therefore have I set my face like aflint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed”.

REFERENCES Abraham became relevant on the platform of sacrifice.

David’s rose from zero to hero through absolute dependence on God which reminds us that no giant is unbeatable.

Job showed that perseverance will help you get through anything

Esther became relevant via the mentality of if I perish, I perish

Mary was of relevance through holiness and humility.

Jesus Christ our perfect example

CONCLUSION

Paul said in I Cor.13 “If I speak in the tongues of menand of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or aclanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, andunderstand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if Ihave all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have notlove, I am nothing”.Therefore, without the demonstration of the love ofGod which is embedded in the practice of thecovenant, there is no relevance! For we are Hisworkmanship, created in Christ Jesus for goodworks, which God prepared beforehand so that wewould walk in them {Eph.2:10} Making yourself relevant is by taking responsibility inGod’s agenda, hence you must position yourself to beused of Him even as you remain planted by the riverside!

THANK YOU !