Potential Realized: Seeing Past the Surface

Photo taken August 27, 2021 by Kyesha Green

Hey Fam,

I have a habit when I am driving: I get completely fixated on the vacant, abandoned buildings I pass.

As I look at them, my mind starts to wander. I look past the cracked windows, graffiti and overgrown weeds and start imagining their potential. What could this space become? Who could it serve? I find myself wondering about its history: what it looked like when things were blooming, and why it has been sitting empty for so long. Ultimately, I always wonder: What would it take to invest in something that others no longer see value in?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how this applies to people.

The Beauty in the "Broken"

How often do we look at someone’s current state and miss the potential of who they could be? How do we build up those who feel abandoned, overlooked, or empty? How many of us or our loved ones have looked in the mirror and asked, “Am I of any use?”

Guess what, fam? God looks at you and sees right past all of the "stuff." He looks at your current state and already knows exactly who and what you are meant to become. He doesn’t see a ruin; He sees restoration in the works. Where society sees something to be condemned, God sees something or someone worth investing in, and He has the ultimate authority to make all things new.

"Our present state does not compare to our future state."

A Challenge for the Better 

I want to encourage you this week to see the potential in the people you encounter.

• Look beyond the surface-level flaws.

• Look beyond the rough exterior.

• Look beyond their history or present conditions.

We pass by people every single day, but how often do we actually see them? The next time someone grabs your attention, challenge yourself to look at their potential, not just their present condition. After all, if God is willing to invest in our renovation, we should be willing to see the beauty in each other.

Let’s start seeing the potential.

Talk to you soon,

Ky