Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
– Luke 6:38 (NLT)

Potential—the word has always frustrated me.  By definition potential means “having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future.” It’s the athlete’s responsibility to bring the proper attitude and maximum effort to practice each day. As a coach, it’s my job to recognize the athlete’s ability and to do everything I can to pull it out of him. What a disappointment it is to see an athlete with great ability waste his talent because of a bad attitude or a poor work ethic. Coaches can only give limited time and attention to athletes with potential. When it becomes evident that the athlete is not willing to do what it takes to get better, we are forced to move on. It doesn’t mean we give up on the athlete, we just keep looking for the players that are willing to give their all to be the best they can be.

I have to think that I frustrate God sometimes too!  When I look at the gifts and talents He has given me, I know that I fail to live up to my potential as a person. I could be so much more if I would only keep the proper attitude and give maximum effort daily. Have you noticed that when we are critical of others, they are often critical of us? Have you ever treated others with kindness and love and gotten a double dose back in return? Do you think it is just a coincidence that the harder we work, the luckier we get? God wants us to be all that He made us to be. If we don’t strive to reach our full potential, He will still love us, but He may find someone else to receive the blessing we could have had.

Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me to be unique in your eyes. Help me today as I strive to be all that you have called me to be. Amen.