From the Preacher’s Pen…
How are you doing as a saint? How are you doing in truly honoring God with your life, with your worship, with your service?
Those are hard questions, aren’t they? They make us stop and consider. And sometimes they make us want to just give up.
God understands that and His understanding explains why so many of His words to us are all about encouragement. That explains why there are so many lessons on faithfulness and endurance. So let’s ask ourselves the question: Are you…
Persistent or Weary?
Like most people, I get tired of doing some things over and over again. Mowing the lawn (especially in the summer) makes me weary. Do you find that washing the same dishes you washed yesterday (or even five minutes ago sometimes) makes you weary? Parents, does picking up after your children ever make you weary? I guess most of us can identify with the problem, can’t we?
When we get tired of some things we find it easier to just quit doing it. Unfortunately, that makes many things worse, doesn’t it? If you think the lawn is hard to mow after two weeks in summer, try letting it go for six weeks. If you think that mountain of dirty dishes looks daunting after only two days, what would it be like after a week? We all get the point: in so many things in life, persistence pays off in the long run.
In the business world, successful sales people are those who keep going back, those who are persistent. Check out some intriguing statistics: 48 percent of the sales people quit after only one call; 25 percent quit after two calls; 15 percent quit after three calls.
Together, these three groups account for 88 percent of the sales force and 20 percent of the business. (You can see the point coming, can’t you?) That’s right, the remaining 12 percent of the sales people keep on calling, and as a result, these do 80 percent of the business!
Generally, in the church these same statistics hold true. Some 10 to 12 percent of a congregation does 80 percent of the giving, the personal work, the teaching, the outreach, etc.
Look around you, see the vacant seat where just last week (month, year, or whatever is appropriate) someone was sitting. Today it’s vacant because they got tired, weary of doing the right thing for God. That’s sad. Sadder still is the fact that many of them will be content to remain unfaithful until the judgment day and then try to beg, lie, cheat or cry their way into heaven. And we know, as they do in their hearts, that will not work.
So, what do we do? Let’s face it: Isn’t faithful Christian living a lot of weary work? Well, yes and no. Ask the successful salesman if that first, or second or third call isn’t a waste of time. What you will hear is something like this: “Every “No!” answer I get just means that I’m that much closer to the” Yes!” that is a sale. And this job is all about every “Yes” not every “No”.
Are you, as a Christian, as bright as a salesman? Listen to what your Savior had to say about that weary feeling we all sometimes get:
Come to Me,
all who are weary
and heavy-laden, and
I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11:28)
Hear the preacher of Hebrews challenge us to…
Consider Him [Jesus] who has endured
such hostility by sinners against Himself,
so that you may not grow weary
and lose heart
(Hebrews 12:3).
Listen to the encouraging things Paul had to say to you:
And let us not lose heart in doing good,
for in due time, we shall reap
if we do not grow weary.
(Galatians 6:9).
Which kind of Christian are you determined to be: the shirker or the worker?
We are blessed with many rich opportunities to serve, to tell our friends and neighbors about the Savior and show our love for Him who died for us. Things like worship and Bible studies are not there to fill up or waste our time. They are opportunities to praise, honor and serve our God, opportunities to show Him our thankfulness and opportunities to enjoy the encouraging time together with His family.
So come! Let us have a congregation that’s 100 percent workers and see what 600 percent success for the Lord looks like!
But as for you, brethren,
do not grow weary
of doing good
(2 Thessalonians 3:13).
— Lester P. Bagley