Awaken your Given Potential, be more than a ‘carpenter’.

The amazing thing is that Jesus is not your typical hero. He never travelled more than 100 miles. He did not even finish SPM (Malaysia Examination Certificate*). He was neither a scholar nor a professor. A Jew, he grew up in a small town, similar, perhaps, to Kuala Selangor. He worked as a carpenter most of his life. Jesus walked wherever he went – he didn’t own a Proton Wira. Then, at age 33, he was executed by the Romans.

The carpenter who built my office cabinets also did not finish SPM. He’s in his late forties and seems comfortable working either with an unbuttoned shirt or without one. He is good at what he does, and I admire his handiwork. I can imagine myself having teh tarik (hot tea with condensed milk?*) with him, but I definitely would not give up my job to follow him.

This is where the similarities between my local carpenter and Jesus end. There was no radio, television or the Internet to make Jesus as famous as Westlife. Yet everyone – you and I – know of Jesus’ name. And more importantly, he has influenced and changed more lives than anyone else over the last 2,000 years. Surely, as one author suggests, he must be more than a carpenter.

Article above is taken from Phases: The Journey starts here magazine published by The Scripture Union in Semenanjung Malaysia with permission. *Translated for my international readers.

The best place to grow in your potential is at where are you now. No matter where do you work or study, there’s a room for improvement in your life. Take a look at your own life. Are you better than what you are today than yesterday? Did you learn new skills at your work place or in your study? Do you believe that there’s a potential in you?

God knew the potential he had given you, and He called every one of us to use it. He calls out the best in you, and he sees more in you than you see in yourself. You may look at your limitations, but God looks at your potential. If you want to reach your full potential, learn to see yourself through God’s eyes. He sees you for what you intended you to be.

Be a little bit better than where you are now. Be more than just a ‘carpenter’, be a ‘world changer’ in people around you. Start small, God measure success not by prestige, possessions, or power, but by how much you use your potentials to Glorify His Name. He knew you because He’s more than just a carpenter; He’s the Savior of the World and the redeemer of our soul.