Living Up to Your Potential

A Common Challenge

It is a common challenge of young people especially to “live up to their potential.” This idea emphasizes the need to make the best of life – the encouragement to succeed with one’s pursuits and one’s ambitions. Although this is most commonly associated with careers, (such as being successful in business or being a professional such as a doctor or lawyer), this can also be manifest in various arts or sports. In essence, we want people to do the very best they can with their own particular talents and abilities – no one wants to see a young person “waste” the life they have been given.

Which Focus?

While such a principle is indeed noble and worthwhile, it is important to consider just how much focus such an attitude places upon the mere temporal realm. Solomon would warn against such an attitude, having pursued everything which life had to offer and finding eternal value in nothing but God alone (Eccl. 12:13, 14). We encourage people to succeed in life, to meet their “potential” when describing their earthly, temporal talents, but do we ever consider what spiritual “potential” might exist for man? How best would one meet their “spiritual potential”?

In one’s work

In one’s work, industry and labor are to be encouraged. Laziness is not becoming of a child of God (Pro. 6:6ff; 2 Thes. 3:10). It is sometimes a tendency for man to avoid such effort, which was the cause of a great following after Christ when, after witnessing a miracle, many thought they could have a “free lunch” (John 6:14ff). However, this focus on industry should never come at the expense of one’s time spent in worship and devotion to God, and never for the purpose of pure greed and excess.

In one’s talents

In the use of one’s talents, the exercise and strengthening of them are to be encouraged. One who is blessed with a great talent for a particular task should acknowledge the Author of the talent and glorify Him. When using the talent, however, it is most constructive if the talent can be used in some fashion to further the body of Christ (cf. Rom. 12:6ff). Such blessings do indeed have a purpose and should be used for the most important purpose.

God’s perspective

One should have the perspective of God concerning eternity. Becoming a success in business, law, medicine, etc. has value for a time, but will these endeavors of themselves save the soul? The greatest measure of living up to one’s potential in this life should be defined by one’s life in the next. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36, NASU). It is important to encourage young people to do their very best in life, but is most important for them to meet the greatest potential which can only be found in Christ Jesus.

It is a great goal to live up to one’s potential. But let us remember the greatest potential God has for mankind – eternal life in His Son. In the scope of eternity, it will matter little how successful you were in life, but instead how dedicated you were to the Author of life.