Maximizing Your Potential

Chapter Seven

Your Potential and the Next Generation To live for today is shortsighted; to live for tomorrow is vision. Just as a seed has a forest within it, so we contain much more than is evident at birth. Everything is designed by God not only to reproduce itself but also to transfer its life and treasure to the next generation. Potential is not fully maximized until it reproduces itself in the following generation. An old Chinese proverb that states, “the end of a thing is greater than its beginning,” rings true for our lives. King Solomon concurred with this truth: “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11b). Every individual is therefore responsible to live to the fullest for the sake of the following generation. King Solomon states it this way: “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22a). A Seedless Life I will never forget the day I first discovered seedless fruit. One of the pleasures I enjoy within my very busy schedule is accompanying my wife to the food store, which gives us time to plan our family meals and discover new items together. On one of these occasions, as we approached the produce section, I was intrigued to see a large sign introducing seedless grapes and oranges. At first I rejoiced at the prospect of being able to enjoy grapes for the first time without the inconvenience of having to eject the seeds. (No doubt this newly produced hybrid was developed in response to the market demand for fruit that could be enjoyed without the discomfort of seeds.) So I quickly picked up two pounds of red and white grapes and a bag of oranges, looking forward to eating them. My impatience to experience the thrill of seedless grapes prompted me to place the bag of grapes beside me in the car so I could enjoy them while I was driving home. What a pleasure, to sink my teeth into fresh, juicy, sweet grapes without having to worry about seeds. It was like a dream come true. Soon after we had arrived home, I sliced into an orange and stood amazed at the fact of a