The Lottery of Location: How Place Shapes Destiny

As some of you already know, Diwali and Tihar are both being celebrated worldwide during this period.

Diwali lasts for five days, and today marks Day 4. Many of my Indian and Southeast Asian colleagues are off work, enjoying the festivities.

To give you some background, Diwali and Tihar are both known as the “Festival of Lights” and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness in the Hindu religion—a theme that speaks universally. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t prefer light over darkness?

While Diwali is more peculiar to the Indians, Tihar is a Nepali variant of the Festival of Lights.

In learning more about this holiday, I came across the customs for each day of Tihar. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Day 1: They feed crows as an act of reverence.
• Day 2: They honor dogs, regardless of the breed, showing respect to man’s best friend.
• Day 3: They celebrate and worship cows, who are seen as sacred.
• Day 4 (today): A day of festivities (I’m a bit foggy on the details here, forgive me!)
• Day 5:  Ladies honor their brothers, who in return are expected to offer money or gifts as tokens of appreciation. Obinrin sha!

Reflecting on these practices, it’s clear that our location on the world map greatly influences our perspectives and beliefs.

Consider this: In India, dogs are revered, yet in the Calabar region of Nigeria, they’re considered food. The same animal, different destinies, based solely on geography.

In Nepal, cows are respected and celebrated, while in southwestern Nigeria, they’re often groomed to be butchered at the next available party in town.

The lesson here is that your destiny might be a matter of perspective, not an indication of worth or potential. Perhaps your circumstances are not the issue; maybe you’re just in a place that doesn’t see your value. Don’t be too quick to give up on yourself or your dreams.

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.’” – Genesis 12:1-2

This verse highlights how God called Abraham to leave his current place and go to a new land where his potential would flourish and his purpose would be fulfilled. It shows that sometimes, reaching our full potential requires us to be in the right place, where God’s promises and our destiny can come to life.

As Bishop Oyedepo would say, “Your Location determines Your Allocation”.

Have an amazing weekend ahead!