Believe in people before they believe in you.
Jesus called Peter the fisherman to come follow him by telling him “I will make you a fisher of men” (Matt 4:19) He saw something in Peter before Peter saw it in himself. He saw Peter’s potential by faith. Jesus believed Peter could be more, but did Peter believe that Jesus could be more? (He did, just later, much later-Matt 16:16)
What if we saw people’s potential before they did? This concept would change every relationship that we are currently in, even our future ones. You would no longer look at your spouse, sibling, roommate, kids, boss, workmate, church friends and neighbors the same way. You would begin to see the “invisible potential” in them rather then the “oblivious flaws” about them.
If we saw people’s potential before they did? – we would be like Jesus.
Some time ago I read the book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua. After getting past that’s she’s a bit nuts (imposing a very strict a-type personality on her two daughters), you notice a trend–that she even points out. Chinese mothers in contrast to American mothers (used metaphorically) start with the premise their children can achieve various goals. Instead of hoping and congratulating her children for receiving an -A in school, she expected it.
One can only wonder how people would turn out if such a premise were applied in any and all aspects of life.
…more good stuff to think about