Within every acorn is the potential for a giant oak tree which, when mature, can produce up to 10,000 acorns a year, though oak trees don’t necessarily produce acorns every year. Within most watermelons is the potential for several hundred other watermelon plants found in the seeds and each seed has the potential to produce 3-5 watermelons. Within every sunflower seed is the potential to produce a sunflower head that produces at least another 1,000 seeds.
Wow, there is a lot of potential out there in nature in our world, and I’ve just barely scratched the surface of the often-hidden potential. In the same way, within every person is a buried potential…just waiting to be released. The question becomes, for each of us, “How is that potential discovered and released?” That is a very good question with several different answers.
One answer, I believe, is that hidden potential is discovered within each of us by trying different activities and experiences and not being afraid to fail. An example is, I cannot draw. I am not much of an artist with pen, pencil, or paints. I have trouble drawing stick men that look decent. Yet, I have been told that my creativity or artistic side is released in the words that I use for writing and speaking (giving sermons). By the way, I can still remember the first children’s sermon I ever did. It was awful…I hyperventilated in the midst of it all. I have discovered that I don’t care much for putting puzzles together. But I do enjoy riding my bicycle or hiking. I find those two activities very relaxing.
Another example, I don’t particularly enjoy jail ministry. However, visiting people in the hospital or a care facility I do enjoy. Or, I’m not much of a fan of custard. But frozen custard…big fan!!! I tried wrestling once…not good. Later on I tried track/running…very good!!! Trial and error has taught me things, and continues to teach me.
Another way of discovering the potential within us is through intentional choice. Recently I was reading a book entitled “Lovingkindness.” Part of a paragraph really spoke to me. It said, “Our potential to love is very real and is somehow not destroyed, no matter what we experience; all of the mistakes that we might make, all of the times that we are caught in reaction, all of the time we have caused pain, all of the times we have suffered. Throughout everything, our potential to love remains intact and pure. Through practicing lovingkindness in meditation and in daily life, we cultivate this potential.” Lovingkindness page 32-33
Did you catch that… “Through practicing lovingkindness…we cultivate this potential.” In other words, through the intentional choice of doing something, in this case practicing lovingkindness, we cultivate, we nurture, we encourage, we harvest, we bring forth more of the potential of lovingkindness in our lives.
During this season of summer, may we each try a few new things. You never know what untapped buried seed or potential will be discovered by doing so. And may we also be intentional about practicing even just one of the fruits of the spirit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the list, which starts out with “love.” The seeds, or the potential, of love is there…it’s just waiting to be practiced and cultivated. Love is a good place to start in this world of ours. And remember, Jesus’ new command to us, his followers, is to love one another.
Now I’m off into the day to practice lovingkindness. I know I’ve got some cultivating to do in this area. Won’t you join me?
Pastor Keith