Weekly Thought – May 20, 2014
Fred regarded himself as “delightfully dependent,” in his bed-bound years “I wish I could take a walk” were words spoken without bitterness. He always said, “If you can do something about it, you have a problem. If you can’t, it is a face of life.” His immobility was just that – a fact of life. But he persevered.
The Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute is initiating a research project in conjunction with a Southern California group, studying millennials. Research shows that generation connects with those who are 70+. We will begin studying what they want from the connections, best communications systems, and conversational methods.
Pressing On
We live in troubled times. Trouble takes us back to the basics and opens our minds. Perseverance is one life’s fundamentals.
The composer/musician Rod McKuen wrote: “Talent is never enough in any field. It must be coupled with perseverance and recognition.” Effort varies more than talent. Those who lose their tenacity generally lose their position in life.
The great merchant, J.C .Penney believed,” Self-denial is the basic requirement for accomplishment in any field of endeavor. Success comes only to those who will follow the hard road, rather than the paths of ease and pleasure. The road to success is open to those who persevere.
As a boy, Isadore of Seville struggled with his lessons. Doing badly in school, he ran away. He sat down to rest beside a little spring that trickled over a rock. He noticed the great erosion caused by the small droplets of water. Right there, he decided to resume his studies, knowing even his small drops of water could wear away the big rock of education. He became one of the finest scholars of his day. His biographer said, “Those drops of water gave to Spain one of her greatest historians.” Job 14:19 reinforces this principle: “The water wears away the stone.”
Persistence and perseverance are essential to success. We don’t know how powerful they can be until needed. Remember the water always wins.
One of my favorite Americans is Thomas Edison. We honor him as the inventor of the light bulb, and many other daily necessities. We often forget he had over 10,000 failures before finding the proper material for the incandescent filament. When asked about the failures, he simply said, “Now I know 10,000 things that don’t work.” Doesn’t that personify those who persevere?
Paul Harvey loved to hold our attention with “the rest of the story.” The history of accomplishment is built on the foundation of “things that didn’t work.”
My friend Steve Brown of KeyLife Network calls me weekly to check up. When he hangs up he admonishes me, “Hang tough, babe, hang tough.” He was telling me to persevere. Press on, Smith, press on.
This week think about: 1) What is requiring perseverance right now? 2) How am I doing? 3) Who needs to hear “hang tough, babe, hang tough!”
Words of Wisdom: “The history of accomplishment is built on the foundation of “things that didn’t work.”
Wisdom from the Word: “As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.” (2 Thessalonians 1:4 NET Bible)