“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”
Hebrews 12:1
It was my first trip to the great South American country of Brazil
to address a conference of ten thousand leaders and laymen, I felt an
awesome responsibility upon me. My time in this country of beautiful
and complex cultures and ethnic heritages would be a lesson in
humanity’s oneness. It confirmed once again that despite our minor
differences, we are all the same.
Seven days into my stay, my host and translator took me on a
tour of their beautiful capital, Brasilia. After visiting the wellorganized
city and government buildings and touring the stately monuments
of the picturesque city, we entered one of my favorite places
to visit—the national museum.
I felt great appreciation for the beautiful and important works of
art around me. As I viewed, studied, and admired the tremendous
historical pieces and the priceless testimonies of the glory of this
nation’s past and present, I was once again reminded that each painting,
sculpture, and specimen was the product of the release of someone’s
potential. Although many of the artists are dead, their works
are not. Display after display gave evidence to potential that had not
been buried with the artists. Because they had dared to expose the
talent hidden within them, I and many others were enjoying, appreciating,
and being inspired by their imaginative works.
Throughout time, the great and small works of individuals—be
they paintings, books, music, poetry, drama, architecture, inventions,
or the development of theories—have affected the lives of many. All
who have helped to shape our society’s destiny—the giants who
teach us and inspire us—used their potential with a passion and
refused to let circumstances dictate their future. The museum in
Brazil, like all the museums of the world, is a constant reminder that
someone lived who refused to let death have the final word on their
potential. Their released potential
is the world’s inheritance.
The death of a
seed is the
burial of a forest.
