(08.03.21– Potential! –1 Timothy 4: 14)
My friend, may I ask you a question? When you and I allow the potential for bad to become our motivator for not living up to our potential, do we miss out on what was possible to do all along, if only we'd believed?
My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.
I'm M. Clifford Brunner.
When I was a little boy I grew up in a small, rural town that happened to be in the flight path of military jets based at an Air Force base about a hundred miles away. These high-flying jets would fly over several times a week and it wasn't unusual to hear a loud blast as the jet broke the sound barrier, traveling faster than the speed of sound at +624 miles per hour. Hearing these sounds on a weekly basis it seemed odd that only a few years earlier, in the late 1940's, there were many scientists who theorized that breaking the sound barrier might cause a jet to explode. They said it just couldn't be done successfully; that is until October 1947 when American test pilot, Chuck Yeager, broke the sound barrier in his rocket-powered jet. Not only did he break it, he even went beyond. For him, the possible danger didn't deter the potential of doing what he believed could be done.
When you and I allow the potential for bad to become our motivator for not living up to our potential, we may be missing out on what was possible to do all along, if only we'd believed.
Here's a story: A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully. Day after day he tenderly weeded around it and watched its growth. One day, as he examined it, he saw that the bud would soon blossom. He was filled with anticipation and looked forward to the next day's watering. The following day, however, he noticed something else had begun to grow on the plant. Thorns were beginning to push their way through the stem. He frowned and thought to himself. "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought he began to lose appreciation for the bud and the following day he neglected to water the rose. Therefore, for a lack of water, before it was ready to bloom and reveal its beauty, it died a premature death. (Author unknown.)
So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth growing amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects. We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to show others their rose within; to look at a person and know their true faults, while recognizing the nobility in their soul. If we show them the rose, they will conquer the thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over. As the old saying goes: "Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways, but where it is unwilling it will find a thousand excuses."
We pray. Heavenly Father, the qualities you planted in us at birth grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects. We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential. Forgive us Lord when we neglect to be able to show others their rose within; to look at a person and know their true faults, while recognizing the nobility in their soul. If we show them the rose, they will conquer the thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over. As the old saying goes: "Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways, but where it is unwilling it will find a thousand excuses." In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.
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<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.