Who Rejects JFK?

In his book, The 360 Degree Leader, John Maxwell writes:

Author Bennet Cerf wrote that J. William Stanton, who served many years as a representative from Ohio in the United States Congress, treasured a letter he received from the Chamber of Commerce in Painesville, Ohio, dated 1949. The letter declined Stanton's offer to bring a new congressman as the featured speaker for a fund-raising dinner. The missive reades: "We feel that this year we really need a big-name speaker who'll be a drawing card so we're hoping to bag the head football coach at John Carroll University. Thanks anyhow for suggesting Representative John F. Kennedy." Do you have any idea who that coach might have been? I certainly dont.

And the moral of the story? Potential is what you "ain't done yet." No one knew who John F. Kennedy was because he had not yet become one of the most influential presidents in American History. Obviously if Kennedy knew about this rejection, he did not let it stop him from pursuing his dreams and living up to his potential. In due time, however, John F. Kennedy's potential would be realized.

Now, you probably aren't the next JFK, but who knows, you might be. The important thing for us as Christians, however, is to be certain that we live up to our potential individually and corporately as a church. As I said, for those of you MHBC members out there, this Sunday I'm going to lay out my vision for our church. God has great plans for us, he has given us great big goals and great big jobs to do. We have tons of potential, but right now, thats all it is..."what we ain't done yet." Wouldn't it be great for us to look back on this moment, to look back one day on This Sunday's sermon and say, "we are doing it!"

Hey, don't let rejection hold you down or the past negatively affect the future of your personal life, your business life, or the life of your church. The past is over and the future is yet to be embraced; let's make it happen!