Did you ever notice that people generally live up to--or down to--our expectations of them?

There are exceptions, of course. Parents sometimes hopefully expect their offspring to do great things, then watch the kids grow up to become fairly mediocre individuals. But, as a rule, people react pretty much as we expect them to react.

Take the case where a new teacher was looking over the roll book of her class. She noticed that after each student's name, there was a number. Cory--137, Meghan--142, and so on. The teacher thought: "Look at those IQ scores. I have a terrific class of kids."

So the elated teacher challenged her students with new teaching methods and tougher homework assignments, fully expecting them to respond accordingly. And she let them know that she expected a lot of them. Most of the students responded exceptionally well.

It wasn't until near the end of the term that the teacher learned the figure after each name stood for the student's locker number, not his or her IQ. This experience convinced the teacher that, as a rule, people will perform to the standards we establish for them.

Of course, in an average school class, not all pupils will do straight-A work, regardless of the expectations. Some kids simply aren't up to it. But the entire class can be brought up a couple of notches just by the encouragement and high expectations of teachers and parents.

The late Carson McCullers was one of the finest writers in this country. From childhood, her family expected her to do her best, and she expected a lot of herself. But by the time she was 29, she had suffered a series of strokes that had paralyzed one side of her body. She was in constant pain. Her husband committed suicide.

Virtually crippled, McCullers was able to write only one page or less each day. Still, she penned brilliant novels such as The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter and Reflections In A Golden Eye. She never bowed to her afflictions but instead lived up to her expectations.

We may not all become great novelists, but most of us seem to do what is expected of us--by others and by ourselves--despite obstacles. So, expect a lot of yourself and you will produce a lot; expect little and you will produce little.

End of sermon.