What do you think of when you see this photo?

When I walked past this the other day the first thing I thought of was

POTENTIAL!

Ok, honestly I almost didn’t notice it at first. I stopped for coffee on my way to work and was rushing to my car as I glanced quickly down to see the tulips budding. After all I didn’t expect to see a thing of beauty at a thruway rest stop!

Then as my brain began to process I was magnetically pulled back wondering how many buds were actually there. WOW! Soon this is going to be covered with tulips!

After snapping a shot I again hurried to my car but with a new question in my head:

“How often to I pass up potential in my life because I’m in a hurry or not expecting it?”

I’m not necessarily talking about big potential of a new job or writing opportunity although I should be open to those as well. I’m thinking of the potential for blessing others or being blessed through interactions that I am either too busy for or not looking for the opportunity to engage.

And I wonder how many times I dismiss an opportunity because I lack the faith to see the potential through my earthly eyes.

It reminds me of the story of Jesus when He was teaching a huge group of people (see John Chapter 6). Nightfall came and Jesus asked His disciples how they were going to feed the people. The disciples were ready to send them away to find their own food. A boy came to them offering to share the lunch he had brought but the disciples all but sent him away. Despite the time they had spent with Jesus they didn’t have enough faith to see the potential in 5 little barley loaves and 2 fish.

Jesus did.

He asked His Father to bless the lunch and began to divide it into baskets. Everyone there (over 5,000 men plus women & children) had all they wanted to eat and the disciples collected 12 baskets of leftover pieces.

It’s easy for us to look back on a story like this and be critical of the disciples for their lack of faith when they lived with Jesus and consistently saw Him perform miracles and meet needs. But honestly how many times do we miss the potential to have our needs met because we don’t look beyond what is right in front of us? We see only through the limitations of our human eyes, forgetting that we have the power of the Holy Spirit waiting to assist us.

I encourage you today to look for opportunities that other days you might pass by. The potential for making a difference could be right in front of you:

• the person in the grocery store who can’t reach something that you can reach for them.
• holding the door for the person behind you…even if you have to wait.
• paying for a cup of coffee, tea, etc. for someone not expecting it.
• smiling at someone waiting in line with you, opening yourself to conversation – you never know where it might lead.

Being willing to see potential where others may not is attainable for all of us. We just need to practice and be intentional about looking for it everywhere.

We may surprise ourselves about what blooms in our lives and the lives of others!

blessings and peace to you as you find the potential in this day!
Paula