Living 25 Cents At A Time

 

 Advancement does not happen overnight.

For that reason, a central theme of scripture is perseverance; Hebrews 12:1 is a strong word in this regard: “Therefore surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and…run with perseverance…”  (Hebrews 12:1)   

Literally the word perseverance means:   patient endurance and steady persistence.   For perseverance is not ‘sitting down’ and accepting things; it’s ‘standing up’ and mastering things, over time.

We can master things overtime.  Why if Christ could master the Cross, we can master our challenge and burden.  Thus “… [do not] grow weary” Hebrews 11:3 concludes, “and [do not] lose heart.”  

In fact: “…lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,” Hebrews 12:12 goes on to say, “and make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed.

Fred Craddock once attempted to put the Christian journey in perspective.  We think sacrificing for Christ is a glorious, dramatic thing, Craddock noted.  You know, like taking a 1,000 dollars and laying it on the altar!  But it’s really like taking 4,000 quarters and sacrificing them over time.  You know:  25 cents here, 25 cents there.   

You ‘sacrifice a quarter’ every time you listen to a kid, rather than telling him to ‘get lost’.   You ‘sacrifice a quarter,’ every time you sit through another church meeting, rather than staying home and watching TV.  You ‘sacrifice a quarter,’ every time you visit a shaky old man or woman, rather than huddling with friends.  Yes, we think the Christian calling is glorious.  It’s not.  The Christian calling is daily: 25 cents at a time.

Are you living 25 cents at a time?   I wish the journey was easy; it's not.  But it is doable if we live in increments, 'running with perseverance,' 25 cents at a time.

Live in increments, 'run with perseverance,' 25 cents at a time!