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POTENTIAL
In "Star Trek: Nemesis", Captain Jean-Luc Picard
is speaking with the holographic image of Praetor Shinzon of Remus, his own
clone. Captain Picard is literally to face to face with himself. Picard urges
Shinzon to turn away from his plans to destroy all life on Earth.
Despite the years of abuse and pain Shinzon has endured,
Picard says, "I know you. I see what you could be." Shinzon refuses
to listen and rise above his past. He can only see his life as a sum total of
all that has happened to him. He responds by referring to himself in the third
person. "He is what his life has made him."
Then Picard asks, "What will you do with that life?
Waste it in a blaze of hatred? There is a better way! You still have a choice,
make the right one now."
Despite Picard's pleadings, Shinzon says sadly, "I
can't fight what I am." Picard then pleads one last time, "Yes, you
can..."
A short pause follows, before Shinzon makes his decision. He
replies "I'll show you my true nature, our nature..." He has chosen
to remain the same and not take a new path. Shinzon ignores his potential,
choosing to remain as he is.
—"Star Trek: Nemesis", Chapter 16: But Through a
Glass Darkly, 1:15:10-1:16:12. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
Jesus sees the true potential in every person. He knows what
we can be, if we will surrender to His will. He pleads with us to make the
right choice, while we struggle to see how life could be different. We look
through a mirror clouded by our fears, pain and the past. Though we only know
in part, one day we will know fully as we have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV) "Now we see but a poor
reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
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POTENTIAL
Israeli researchers have grown a sapling date palm from
2000-year-old seeds. These are the oldest know seeds to sprout. Researchers
hope the ancient DNA in the plant will have medicinal qualities that could
benefit future generations.
Sarah Salon, from the Louis Boric Natural Medicine Research
Center in Jerusalem said the sapling has sprouted from seeds found in
archaeological excavations at the ancient Jewish fortress Masada. Sallon says
"Dates were highly medicinal. They had an enormous amount of use in
ancient times for infections, for tumors."
They sent DNA from the plant's leaves for analysis in hopes
of finding qualities that have disappeared from modern cultivated varieties.
Date palms that currently grow in Israel were imported from California and are
actually a strain that originated in Iraq. The Judean date palm was prized for
its medicinal value but had been extinct for centuries until researchers found
the seeds.
The palm plant has been nicknamed Methusaleh after the
Biblical figure who lived for 969 years. If the plant survives, it will not
bear fruit for 30 years. Sallon says, "One of the leaves that have come up
now is a beautiful leaf, but it's much longer than the normal date leaf. Every
little thing that it does we shall watch and observe and hope to keep
alive."
—http://www.cbsnews.com, Tree seed Grows After 2,000 Years,
June 13, 2005. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
This seed has waited 2,000 years to have the opportunity to
grow and bear fruit. Each of us has the opportunity to plant seeds in the lives
of those around us every day.
John 12:24 (HCSB) "I assure you: Unless a grain of
wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it
produces a large crop."
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