Few people have the ability to see latent potential in others. Most of us look people over, size them up, and then leave them as they are. Many great people have been overlooked in this way. If we had been in England many years ago, we might even have sized up young Winston Churchill and written him off as a failure. He was a redheaded, troublesome boy with a speech impediment. At the age of 12 he was sent to Harrow. There, as in earlier schools, he was far and away the worst pupil. In four and one-half years he never rose above the bottom of the school. Author Peter de Mendelssohn wrote, “That lad couldn’t have gone through Harrow. He must have gone under it.” At the age of 15 his own father saw him as an untalented kid with no prospects of going to Oxford. In his mind, his son was not near good enough to become a lawyer. So young Winston went into the army where for the first time his greatness began to appear. The potential had long been there, just waiting for a magic touch that could draw it out.
Jesus was an expert in personality. When he met a person he sized him up. Indeed no one could do it better. But he never stopped there. He had that magic touch of every great leader, teacher, and coach. He saw also what someone might become and drew the best out of him.
The Bible says, “Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). That means what he could do years ago he can still do today. So make the most out of your life. Offer it to him. Let him direct and develop your highest potential. It is the wisest move you could ever make.