2 I The Best Online Education System in the world
OF POTENTIAL AND BIBLICAL STORIES
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
When people say things like: This is the start of something big; this could be the beginning of a beautiful
friendship; or even, this is a new beginning, they apparently talk about what they foresee as potential. A newly-
forged relationship, a significant breakthrough, or the commencement of a new chapter in whatever aspect of
life could very well point to a future full of promises and good things, basically. Ideally, that is what the
aforementioned phrases signify. And the world begins anew, filled with hope and vigor.
This was most likely what drove Noah and his family to leave the ark and repopulate the land after they had
seen the dove bring back a leafy twig as proof that the floodwaters had finally receded, or even Moses before
him who led the Israelites in their exodus out of Egypt. This was probably what led Pharaoh to confer Joseph
the title Vizier of Egypt, in charge of all the land. Where Moses and Noah saw hopes renewed as well as faiths
strengthened, Pharaoh saw Joseph’s great potential to wisely see the country through seven years of plenty
and seven years of famine. In all those three biblical stories, the main point had been promise, essentially
identical to potential.
When people talk of potential, it basically means they see promise in an individual, an undertaking, or
whatever else for that matter. This most definitely shows that potential is not entirely exclusive to people, but
can also apply to certain events or situations, or even non-events or non-situations. For instance, business
partnerships or conglomerations and mergers, where parties involved remain hopeful and subsequently work
towards making inroads in the business relationship. Or when something expected doesn’t actualize, which
could mean further efforts to bring about expected events.
The world is filled with many potential events and non-events, just as we humans are said to have many
possibilities of our own. What we are is a gift from the Almighty; what we become is our gift to Him. Hopefully,
no one ever forgets the fact that we have all been placed into this world for a purpose: to discover whatever
purpose we may have, to make use of whatever potential is within us to make the world a better place that
when we first came into it.
If Moses and Noah saw promise—potential—in something that they couldn’t visually perceive, so must we in
our honest dealings with everyone else. If Pharaoh saw enough potential—promise—in Joseph to make him
Vizier of all Egypt, so must parents recognize the inherent gifts that their own children possess.
If we continue to live our lives full of hope for the future, then the future will come with hope and a lot more.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
Have you ever felt pessimistic about the future? Why or why not?
2.
What potential do you see in your particular area of discipline?
3.
Is potential always instantly recognizable? Why or why not?
4.
Why does it sometimes entail a lot of hard work for potential to come out?
5.
What would you do if you were bypassed for a job promotion despite having great potential?