What Did You See?

There is a way to "see" things, that you will have to develop as a "skill", if you are to succeed.

Let's Talk:


In the series of the Tentmaker, I shared with you a story about a company called Naspers, based in South Africa. Many of you were no doubt surprised to find out that, this relatively unknown company is the parent of DSTV, the pay-TV operator. You were probably just as surprised to learn that at $55bn, it is Africa's largest company by market value. And that contrary to to the conventional view about wealth, held in Africa, it is not a resource company, in oil, gold, diamonds or platinum. This is the sort of thing, that should catch your attention, as an Tentmaker.....and I am glad to see that many of you, "saw" this.

What else did you "see"?
That over 70% of Naspers value comes from the 34%, they own in a company called Tencent, in China! Tencent, is only 15 years old,but Naspers itself nearly 100 years. Tencent is not a resource company, but is primarily an Online media company.

What else did you "see"?
Did you see that over 70% of its income comes from the businesses that account for less than 70%, of its value!

Are these people mad, you might ask?
Tencent is valued at more than $140bn, and is worth much more than those famous gold, and Diamond companies like Ashanti Goldfield, De Beers Diamonds, Zimplats, Lonmin, Anglo American. Tencent has virtually no physical assets, and does not make that much money!

So what did you "see"?
When you were in grade 7, you were taught that 5+5=10;
When you got to High School, they said 5+2y=20
They said, it is Algebra, and you accepted, knowing that this was now for senior class.

There are some things about the world of business, which is for "senior class".

What did you "see"?
If Tencent, had been brought to you, in 2001, as a loss making start-up, in an industry that did not yet exist, and in China, not yet the hot economy it is today, would you have taken it? What if the option had been to get shares in a tobacco company, that was making lots of money?

Even as Christians, we know that what you learn in Sunday school, is for junior class revelation. As an adult, you will not prosper, if you try to live life, on the understanding of God, given in Sunday school.
The Apostle Paul, our chief Tentmaker, said:
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known". (1Co13:11-12).

Is it not time to start seeing, as those in "senior" class?

If we are to "reign" in life, as we must (Roms5:17), then we must challenge, how we "see" things, all the time; making sure we are not living on "junior" class "thinking", "talking" and "understanding" of important issues, that affect our lives.




King Solomon built a magnificent temple, which had been there for several hundred years. It had been central to the way of life of the Israelites for as long as anyone could remember. But when war came, it was completely destroyed, and lay in ruins for several generations, more than 70 years.

Then a visionary priest called Ezra, came back from exile and began to build it again. He had limited resources, and did his best with what he had. Then he called a ceremony of all the people to celebrate its opening. The people who came were made of two groups:


-There were some old men, who had been alive at the time of Solomon's, magnificent, original temple. When they looked, and saw the renovated temple, they remembered what they had lost, and they wept.

-Then there were young people, who were born at a time of the empty ruined, ugly temple, and when they looked at what Ezra had done they too wept at seeing this magnificent new building, where a ruin had once stood.

The Chief Tentmaker said:
"The things which were written afore time, were written for our learning".

There is something deep and profound, in the story, I have told about Ezra:

- when you SEE something, which is not right, you can spend a lot of time complaining bitterly, about those who created this situation, and the mistakes they made. You can rail in anger about the powers, in the world, over which you have no control. You can exercise false spirituality, as an excuse for inaction.....it will never change anything!

-But you can be an Ezra, and just go out and DO what you can.... Ezra believed God would help him... But only if he showed initiative.

Secondly, there will always be those who either hanker after a past, or over what could have been.... The bible says of this, that "it is not wise".
How we see things around us, is always a choice.
The Tentmaker does not wait for someone else to act, on an issue of concern. He or she always looks to themselves, first. They are restless until they have done something: no matter what!
They don't say, to themselves, "if only, so and so, could do something", but rather "what can I do?"

Always remember that mentality has nothing to do with age. Choose to be like Ezra, and the generation of those who see opportunity, even in a ruined situation; and then go out to build, with what they have, even if it seems like nothing.