THE POINT IS . . . Living Up to Your Potential

      The late legendary football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, of the University of Alabama, once shared his coaching philosophy in an article in Sports Illustrated magazine. He said, “There are four types of football players:

      • There are players who have ability and know it.

      • There are players who have ability and don’t know it.

      • There are players who don’t have ability and know it.

      • There are those who don’t have ability but don’t know it.

      “The one that makes you proudest is the one who isn’t good enough to play but it means so much to him, and he put so much into it, that he does it anyway… the ones who have ability and don’t use it are the ones who eat your guts out.”

      One of my greatest frustrations in more than 50 years in the ministry has been the unrealized potential for God I have observed in scores of people over the years. They were more gifted than most of us, yet they squandered their giftedness and missed one opportunity after another to impact the world for Christ. Apparently, Jesus was also frustrated by unrealized potential. During the last week of His ministry, Jesus looked over the city of Jerusalem and lamented, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing”(Matt. 23:37 NIV). Jesus had great opportunities for service and untold blessings in store for the nation of Israel, but the people were not willing to fully surrender their hearts to Him.

      The simple truth is that the Bible is the story of how God used nobodies to change the world! God, in His wisdom, has chosen to use common, ordinary people like you and like me. God uses people who will give Him the glory because they know there is nothing within them that could ever accomplish anything significant for Him. The Apostle Paul revealed who and what God uses to change the world when he wrote: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (I Cor. 1:27-29).

      So, child of God, let me ask you: “Do you have a little talent?” Then let God have it. “Do you feel that you are an insignificant person?” Then, let God have all of you and see how He can use you. “Are you serving in an insignificant place or performing an insignificant role?” Then believe that God can use you today, right where you are, to honor Him. Never underestimate the potential for good in a single life — especially in yours!