Potential vs. Purpose

 September 6, 2024

Friday

I heard a preacher (on Youtube) say that Jesus did not live up to His potential. He claimed that Jesus could have been the ruler of Israel. He could have conquered the Romans. He could have been the supreme emperor of the world. I believe this young man does not understand what potential means.

Potential must be tied with purpose to understand potential. Potential without purpose gives no means of measuring potential. Case in point: Since 1775 with the American Revolution over a million Americans have died in wars. Since 1913 with the mass production of Henry Ford's automobile over 3.5 million Americans have died in automobile crashes. Was the potential of the automobile the ability to kill over three times the Americans as war? I don't think that is in the minds of those who build autos. Thus, the real potential of the auto is to get the maximum number of people from point A to point B quickly. It is not to kill as many people along the way as possible. (Though that seems to be the way some people drive!)

When I hear the story of someone who failed but had the potential to be one of the best, I realize that this person did not set that purpose in his mind. Without purpose, potential is like a guitar that sits in the corner of the room that is never played. It could have made great music but it doesn't because no one with purpose plays it.

What was Jesus' purpose?

John 3:17 (ESV) ¹⁷  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Jesus came to give us salvation. He didn't come to be a military ruler. He did not come to personally reform society. He did not come to be the greatest show on earth. He came to show us that we can have salvation by believing He is the Son of God who gave His life for us. That faith would infect our lives to change the world. He gave us purpose. He succeeded. 

That is why Jesus would say on the cross:

John 19:30 (ESV) ³⁰  When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Potential without purpose is never finished. There is always something else to do. Jesus could say it was finished because what He did is finished then and it is still finished. There is not one thing more He needed to do.

We must also discover our purpose. It may have very little to do with our own perceived potential. Moses couldn't see himself as one who would lead God's people out of Egypt. Gideon couldn't see himself as one who would defeat the Midianites. Purpose trumps potential. 

I saw a commercial recently about a father whose son was great at motocross racing. He said that his son had found his purpose. I have to tell him but his purpose will most likely die before he will. I heard an All-American football player say that his god died on a football field in Arkansas. He said he watched as the clock ticked down. His playing days were over. There are three things that will last forever. God's word, other people and ourselves will last forever . Our purpose is always in those three things or our god will die. If we do not invest in these, potential will matter because we will not have fulfilled our purpose. 

So, go to God to find your purpose. Then, live up to that purpose for that is your potential. No other measurement gives an accurate measurement of your potential.