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Living Up to Your Full Potential

Written By Timothy Fish

Published 7/3/2009

You’ve no doubt heard of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. After having an extramarital affair, he is struggling in his political career, in his marriage and now in his book deal. Publishers Weekly reported Thursday that Penguin imprint Sentinel has killed the Sanford Book, Within Our Means, which they had planned to publish next year on the topic of “fiscal conservatism.”

Before this mess came out, I don’t doubt that Mark Sanford was one of the darlings of Penguin’s lineup of authors. He was well known. He appeared to have expertise in the subject. All they had to do was estimate his book sales correctly and they stood to make more than enough money to cover the cost of producing the book. Then the news hit and the picture changed. People might be interested in a book by Mark Sanford, but it probably wouldn’t be one on fiscal conservatism. His influence on that subject is ruined beyond compare.

What does that have to do with us? Consider this. What happened with Mark Sanford could happen to ordinary people like us. Maybe we aren’t famous and have a book on the verge of success, but it remains true all the same that sin prevents us from reaching our full potential. Just imagine what might have happened if Mark Sanford hadn’t committed adultery. His family life would certainly be in better shape. His political career would be better. His book would be on the way to the presses and he might rock the world with his thoughts on fiscal conservatism. At the very least, he might rock a significant portion of South Carolina with those thoughts. His adultery has prevented him from doing any of that.

We saw on the news this week a car chase over in Dallas. The fleeing suspect ended his run after a truck plowed into the side of his car. Thankfully, the driver of the pickup was fine, but he was not so fortunate. Sin got him into the mess he is in now and his life is not what it could have been.

We may not choose to run from the police or commit adultery, but the principle is the same with all sin. Sin prevents us from reaching our full potential. Even something like speeding on the freeway. “Its only a little over,” we might tell ourselves and it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, but when we plow into the back of someone who is going the speed limit, we start wishing we had done what we were supposed to be doing. Instead of having the freedom to buy a few of the nicer things in life, we are paying higher insurance premiums. There isn’t a sin that we can commit that doesn’t reduce our ability to live up to our full potential.

Imagine what great things the world could accomplish if everyone did the right thing, if everyone treated each other as we should, if everyone followed the law. It may not seem like what you are doing is that big of a deal. Everyone is doing it, you might think. You might be right, but what if you did your part and I did my part and our friends did their part to do what it right? The potential is enormous.