John was a kid about the age of 18 who had two older brothers both of them two years older than him. His dad was a coal miner and had worked his way up over the years to the position of manager. Because of his position as a manager he was able to get his two older sons, Matt and Luke, a position on his team has coal miners themselves. As John grew up over the years he had developed a love for the life of coal mining. There was nothing special about it. It was just a regular hard-working life. There was more stress and strain in the life of a coal miner than most other jobs in that region required. But still John took a liking to that way of life and decided from an early age that he wanted to work by his dad's side. Therefore, when he graduated high school this boy who was now considered a man decided that he wanted to apply for a position as a coal miner. So, after graduation he applied for a position and gave it to his father who looked it over and decided to accept it. However, the final say of an applicant does not abide in the penmanship of the manager. John's father gave the applications that had come in to him to his boss, the owner of that coal mining operation. The owner, Franklin, had taken the applications that were given to him and looked them over throughout the week. As he came to John's application Franklin was taken aback. The whole application looked like a normal application. Everything was in line with the responsibilities required and the abilities expected from everyone who took on that line of work. However, when he came to the personal section that described the applicant himself he noticed that John's height did not meet the standard. He was 5'4" tall and the requirement was that of 5'10" tall because of what was demanded on the job. Franklin was rather surprised that John's father, Eugene, had accepted this application because he knew Eugene was even more familiar with the requirements than the average employee, seeing that Eugene was a manager. At the end of the week Franklin, called in Eugene and asked him why he had accepted this application. Eugene looked straight at him and said, "Because he is my son and I know his work ethic. He's a hard worker and I know he will not let you down." Franklin decided to ponder those words over the weekend and come Tuesday that next week he decided to call John and asked him to meet him in his office. On Tuesday, during lunch break, he met with John and for more than an hour explained to this boy what the requirements and expectations were of the job itself. Franklin emphasized the fact that there were certain responsibilities required of each coal miner that, in actuality, required them to be taller than John was so that they can complete the tasks expected of them. Franklin said after the meeting, before John departed, that he would be willing to hire him if he had more "Bulk and Brutus" in his physique. He looked down and said, "You're just too weak to handle the tasks that lie ahead." He told John as the boy was departing from the trailer office, "If you're still of the strong desire to be a coal miner after this week is through then I’d like to talk to you come Monday. But until then I want you to take in to consideration what I've told you about the requirements and demands expected on-the-job." So, for the next seven days, that's what John did. He examined what had been said and thought about the demands that were required for the tasks of which Franklin had told him. Things were a little bit tougher than he had grown up understanding them to be, however, it was still the life he wanted to live. He enjoyed thinking about the work and about what his father and his brothers had told him over the years. His mind had remained undeterred. Come Monday John met Franklin back in his office trailer and reinforced his decision to Franklin, the owner, but it was still his desire to become a hard-working coalminer. So Franklin looked at John and promised him this, "John, look behind you through that window. See that big boulder right beside the coal mine entrance?" John shook his head affirmatively. "For the next couple months I'm going to take you on as paid staff. But for the time being I want you every morning to come in and push on that until you move it to the other side of the property." He looked at John and said, "Now, what came to your mind when I gave you that present job description?" John looked up and said, "Impossible!!" Franklin, looked the boy straight in the eyes and said, "Very good!" And with that John was dismissed.
The next month when all applicants for hire were required to start the job for which they had applied, John was among the rookies. That next morning he came onto the property, walked up to where the boulder was, took some dirt and rubbed it in his hands then commenced pushing that big boulder to the other side of the property. Day after day he would come in and push on that boulder. He put his shoulder into it as well as his back, doing all he could do to move that tombstone just an inch. For two solid months he continued that process, stopping only at lunchtime and after the whistle blew at the end of the day. Finally, he saw the owner, Franklin, walk by. Franklin looked at him and said, "Good job John, hard work pays off, keep at it, don't give up!" For the next two months at the end of each week Franklin would walk by and say, "Good job John, hard work pays off, keep at it, don't give up!" Three consecutive weeks following Franklin would walk by on Friday afternoon and say the same thing, "Good job John, hard work pays off, keep at it, don't give up!" Then Friday of the next week, after the whistle blew at the end of the day, John walked promptly over to Franklin's office trailer and said, "Sir, I have been pushing on that boulder for the last five months even though it has not moved an inch. I have done exactly what you have required of me and so I need to find out if you have any intention of hiring me, because if not then I need to find a line of work which is appropriate for me." Franklin had a body sized mirror and told John to stand in front of it. He said, "John, what do you see?" John noticed his hands and his shoulders were rough and calloused and his shirt and pants looked tight on him. Franklin then said, "Stand on these scales." John had gone from a 140 pound firefly to 185 pound coalminer. Franklin said, "Hard work pays off just as it has done for you. Congratulations! You're hired for a full-time position, son!"
I gave this story because I wanted to paint a picture in your mind about what the spirit of perseverance looks like. We all know how to persevere, to get the job done and give it all we have. We all know how to stick it out until the worst is over. Then there are other times when we just have to grit our teeth, forge the river and take the heat. Whatever level of difficulty a task may involve, pretty much all of us are familiar with what each level takes. But I don't want to focus on the intensity of perseverance, but rather, on the characteristics of perseverance.
We saw in John how he stuck it out. He was determined to do all he could to get what he wanted for so long. In this story that was just given we also saw the hope of which he held in front of him at all times. That hope on which he focused was what motivated him and drove him on continuing his endeavor. I'd like you to notice in what has just been written certain characteristics of a person who displays the spirit of perseverance. Perseverance, not to wear the word out, involves being in one's search of or "waiting on" as if for the final result (Ps. 37:4; Isa. 51:5)1. This confidence is the same of which we see in the believer today who waits upon his Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ to return (Titus 2:13). The spirit of faithfulness is also seen to be linked to hope (Pss. 5:11; 7:1; 15:1). Suffering is an aspect of life in which no one can get around. It happens to the best of us and it happens to the worst of us. But the fact that remains is that we, as Christians, believers in the eternal God and Creator of the universe, must push on through difficult times. It's sad but many "Christians" today do not understand that suffering is an important part of the believer's life in Christ. Therefore, they choose to end their journey in life and meet their "fate" earlier than necessary. Suffering will be a very big part of this whole ministry. In a physical sense it is what I have endured for the past 29 years and continue to endure it for the glory of God and His namesake. We see this idea of carrying on and being constant through suffering and certain New Testament texts such as 2 Thessalonians 1:4. The city of Thessalonica was like the city of Corinth, it was a major seaport city. But the one thing that made Thessalonica a completely different seaport than Corinth was that it was a city right next to the major Roman military road, the Egnatian Way. Thessalonica’s main highway was part of this Roman road and so many military personnel would stop in as they traveled by Thessalonica because of its metropolitan establishment. As a seaport Thessalonica was also made up of merchantmen, sailors, travelers and Jews. As a result of the mixture of different religions that would come in and become established Paul was afraid that the Christians of Thessalonica would become intimidated by and convert back to their pagan mystic ways.2 Therefore, he states in 2 Thessalonians 1:4, "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:" Silas had taken a letter from Paul to the Thessalonians to let the Thessalonians know that it was his desire to come if the Lord would so lead. So, when Silas returned to Paul in Corinth he brought the apostle word of the faithfulness and consistency of the Thessalonian believers.
There's one other characteristic of perseverance that I’d like to mention before I go into writing about these aspects of the believer’s spirit, that is, endurance (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Rom. 12:12-14). Endurance is another way of describing perseverance. However, the word itself implies more than just holding out or continuing on. It involves, in a way, tolerating. But not tolerating in the sense of putting up with sin and shame in a fashion that allows God's name to be driven in the dirt, but rather, taking what others give you and allowing God to be glorified in how you deal with certain situations. That may be in how you respond in word or deed or it may be in how you perform. Your performance could show others that you mean what you say, and that is, Jesus the Christ is my Lord and this is what He requires of me.
Please, stay with me as I look into these characteristics of perseverance over the next few weeks!
1 Elwell, Walter A. Baker: Theological Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996, pp. 203-04 & 600-03. Other Scripture references are from my personal interpretation.
2 MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary 1&2 Thessalonians. USA: Zondervan. 2002, pp. 3-6.
For questions email me @ gtwis644@yahoo.com, subject: God’s Plan!
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