It’s
About What They Could Become
Let’s
talk a bit about human potential. Had
you seen me when I was ten, you wouldn’t have been very impressed. Nor at 15, 18, or 25. Oh, I had a few successes by then, but my
real becoming didn’t happen, in my opinion till much later.
Meet
Larry. He was in my youth group back in
the 70’s. As a young teen, Larry was a
nice kid and would do anything for you in the world, if he could, but to think
he would come to earn a doctorate and pastor a few large churches? No way.
Not Larry. He didn’t fit the mold
for that kind of success and good stuff to be happening to him.
Somewhere
along the line, Larry was paying attention.
He went to college, the same one I attended, graduated and went back to
his home state and pastored a small-town church. That lead to larger churches, and ultimately
to seminary, and with each success, each bit of learning, Larry grew. He BECAME!
I’ve
got to tell you this personal thing.
Once Larry wrote me a note and said this: “Of all the good influences in
my life, you were the first.”
Oh
my. That is encouragement to this
encourager.
This
quote is in my files and it prompted this idea tonight. I’m not sure who originally said it.
“It’s not what they are now.
It’s what they could be.
It’s all about human potential.”
You see, you and I are in the
human potential business. Our job is to
grow people up into the man or woman they could become. We cast a vision of what their potentiality
is when in full bloom. We believe in
them. We encourage them. We coach and empower others so they can grow
wings and develop sureness of foot.
And when they take off … wow! What a moment.
That’s about as good as it gets
for those of us who like to be people builders.
Something to think on,
in less than 60 seconds.
P Michael Biggs
Offering Hope
Encouragement
Inspiration
