Then spake Yahyā to Yeshu Messiah in Jerusalem: "A stammerer becomes not a scholar, a blind man writes no letter. A desolate house mounts not to the height, and a widow becomes not a virgin. Foul water becomes not tasty, and a stone does not with oil soften." Thereon Yeshu Messiah made answer to Yahyā in Jerusalem: "A stammerer a scholar becomes, a blind man writes a letter. A desolate house mounts unto the height, and a widow becomes a virgin. Foul water becomes tasty, and a stone with oil softens." Thereon spake Yahyā unto Yeshu Messiah in Jerusalem: "If thou givest me illustration for this, thou art [really] a wise Messiah."

The issue John raises with Jesus concerns how we are to perceive limitations and deficits. What is reality and how do we engage it?

We are taught by experience - and often by society - to recognize and respect boundaries, to know our place, and to be "realistic."

The working definition of realistic is usually someone who understands what cannot be done, what is a waste of effort to even try.

But Jesus transforms the "nots" of John into "becomes." Where the realist is sure of deficits, Jesus perceives an ultimate reality of abundance.

Dear God, help me to see the potential you have endowed in your creation. Help me to constantly be coming into what you intend.