Some human rules dwarf your edge to realise your God-given potential.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's story is an interesting one to follow. In his 2010 Emory Commencement address, he narrated his life history from Australia when he dreamt of becoming a superstar until he fulfilled his dreams in America. One statement in this address that struck a chord in me was that if you want to succeed you must be ready to break some rules set by men. Generically speaking, rules are guidelines for doing things. In this context, rules are experiences of men and women calved as laws which stop us from reaching our potential in life.
There is an interesting story in Matthew 12:9-13 that clarifies what I mean by breaking some rules in life in order to maximise your potential. “9Now when He (Jesus) had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”...it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.”” Jesus broke the rules on the Sabbath to solve the man’s problem. Breaking the rules of men will help you in...
Reaching Your Potential: When I entered Senior High School, my subject combination was first of its kind. It comprised Geography, Physics, Economics and Elective Mathematics. Some seniors said we should forget about obtaining A’s with such subjects. They coined this due to past experiences. Contrary to these opinions, we did very well in all the subjects. Jesus, like my class, broke the rules of men in order to enable Him to fulfill His potential of healing the sick man. Step out and act against what hinders you in becoming your best.
Helping Others: The religious leaders couldn't heal the ‘withered hand’ man because they had shelved their potential under the wings of self-imposed rules. Jesus had a different mind-set: when you disentangle yourself from the rules of men, you can help others in need. Years ago, it was believed that the place of women is the kitchen and not the boardroom or leadership arena. Today, that rule has been toppled. Women are making significant difference everywhere men can be found. If they had not lifted this lid, the whole world would have been robbed of their contribution. You can always help others with your talents and ideas if you break some rules.
The rules you obey determine your potential maximisation. For some of us we have bought into the notion that life begins at 40. Thus, we put what we can do on hold until we clock 40 years old. But we turn 40 to realise that time is gone. I urge you to break any inimical rules of men to step into your dream zone. May you be changed!
© 2013 Eric Otchere
