The Power of "Next"

Working in elementary education has it's perks. You get access to a corporate cafeteria that serves corn dogs and pizza every Friday. You have a reason to look at office supply catalogs and can buy the latest 2013 Crayola crayon and Ticonderoga pencil offerings without apology. You stay up to date on the latest cartoon trends and the hottest toys.

Oh and you can meet "the next African American president of the United States."

One of our third graders - not one of mine, darn it - won the annual MLK Day oratorical contest in our area last week. I thought he did a great job. He recited his speech again for the school over the intercom the other day and I caught this statement "and one day I will be the next African American president of the United States."

He's 9.

Now he probably hasn't taken the time to do the math to see how many years he has to go before he's eligible. Nor has he thought that waiting on him alone would mean quite a few election cycles without a chance of another African American president.

Not to worry.

Now that we've shown that America's "all men are created equal..." isn't an uncashed check, I'll bet other older candidates will surface.

Such is the power of next. The past loses any power when you embrace its power.

What about you?

Are you living in such a way to give hope to someone else that they might be next?

Next to graduate?
Next to have a good marriage?
Next to be a good husband, a good wife, a good Dad or Mom?

Leverage the power of "next."

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ⌊he is⌋ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
2 Cor 5:17 (HCSB)