Potential

Potential: The possibility of something happening or of what someone will become in the future; latent qualities that may lead to success in the future. 

 

 

This morning I sat on my porch during a thunderstorm and marveled at the magnificence of our Father. I have enjoyed my lilies this year; they have been beautiful. I noticed many new buds on the stalks that would become big, stunning blossoms. Sadly… they only last a couple of days then they begin to fade. But I also I noticed the new buds on the lilies, the hibiscus, the small rose bush and even the blueberries. I am eagerly anticipating the sweet taste of the blueberries and the morning I am greeted with the brilliant colors and delightful fragrance of the flowers. Potential. Today I see their potential, tomorrow the fullness of their destiny. 

In the spring there is nothing more exciting to me than buying flowers to plant in my flower beds. I break up the hard ground, add new soil and look for bigger pots to grow more flowers. I love Miracle Grow products! As I pour on this blue liquid I have great expectation of bigger blueberries or increased blooms.

Hidden within each of us, our Father plants a small portion of His own DNA, a tiny seed ready to explode, bloom and reach our destiny. He then plants us into fertile ground so that we might reach our full potential. (Acts 17:26, Read it!) What dreams were placed in your heart by our Father that hold the key to your potential? What abilities or even disabilities has He allowed in your life to prune or even fertilize your potential? With great expectations, He pours on His “Miracle Grow” products such as faith, hope, joy and even sorrow and difficulties, knowing exactly what each of us will require to reach our potential, our destiny. He is the Master Gardner. John 15:1 I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. (The Message Bible).

 

 

Scrolling through FaceBook I read the story of a young, hopeless boy in the slums of Haiti who has just graduated with honors from West Point Academy as a full citizen of the United States. He is a strong warrior who may just command the army of our nation one day. Who knew? Who could see his potential? God and the boy’s father. (click here for the story)

Then there is the story of the little boy who kept the sheep on a hillside in the Judean hills around Bethlehem. Everyone else saw him as a shepherd, but God saw the potential of a great warrior king who could bring Israel into the fullness of its destiny. King David. 

Rich Butler, my son-in-law once said, “An acorn is simply an oak tree that hasn’t reached its potential…yet.” 

 

 

As we look at the lillies and even the acorns let’s remember to look into the faces of newborn babies, of children, of friends, of little boys born in the slums of a poverty-stricken nation and see the potential. Let’s pray for hope and faith to come and water the potential in each of them. Who knows what your small prayer might kindle? Who knows what spark your kind words might ignite? Begin to look past the present and nourish, encourage and pray for their potential to manifest. Who knows if that dirty faced, snagged toothed little boy might become the hero, the president, the king.

 

 

Potential plus the power of God?

Nothing is impossible!