The Perseverance We Know Not

If You Falter Running against Men, How can you compete against Horses?

Have you ever experienced vying for a top position in the company and lost? How about getting a salary increment far from what you expect? Or smaller compare to an officemate with the same function as yours? Have you been accused of something that you didn’t do? Have you been treated indifferently? or have you been wronged by someone and tried protesting this injustice done to you? What other grievances have you experienced in life that you almost cursed the One from above for letting you in such maladies? Let me tell you a story –fictional of course but inspired by passage I read in the Bible.

There was a man who has been wrongly accused and was convicted for a crime he didn’t commit. Protesting the injustice done to him, he fled from his captors, thus becomes a subject of manhunt. The man was too tired of running and upon learning that he had evade his pursuers, he stopped in the middle of a rice field. The farmer who was then in the field tilling his land saw the man and pitied him. He gave the man water upon seeing him catching his breath. The farmer upon realizing that the man need to rest, made a small hut for the man to shelter against the punishing rays of the sun. After seeing that the man has a place to rest, the farmer went back to till his land. The man, still not contented complained to the farmer how tired he was because of the long hours of running, so the farmer gave the man a chair to sit so he can rest inside but still, the man keeps on complaining. Seeing this, the farmer gave the man his shirt so that he can change his clothes soaked in sweat so that he will feel comfortable.

Despite all what has been given to him, the man grew impatient. The farmer asked the man, “Were you not a subject of manhunt and were accused of a crime you didn’t commit?” “Yes I am,” replied the man. Were you tired of running all day long to flee your captors?” “Yes, I am”, said the man. “How long have you been running against these men?” asked the farmer? “Two hours”, replied the man. “You see, I was here in this field since 4-o’clock in the morning until now and I have been doing these everyday for so many years. When you came and is thirsty, I gave you my last bottle of water to drink. You are tired so I made you a shelter for you to rest. You are soaked in sweat and I gave you my own shirt to make you feel comfortable. I saw you standing so I gave you my own chair to sit and yet you are still complaining that you are tired running from these men?” was the farmer’s reply to the man. “By the way”, the farmer continues. “While you are shouting on me, seems like a group of policemen heard your voice and I saw them approaching us on this very moment and they’re riding in horses.”

We all have our own share of difficulties in life in varying degrees. Some are big while others are beyond comprehension. Whatever is the extent of these difficulties, we are not alone and still lucky that we are never put to a situation where the odds are insurmountable. Just like an athlete preparing for a bigger competition, he is often subjected to a kind of training more than what he’s competitor is doing – in order to win. When we are put to test, we are being prepared by God for a much bigger odds coming to our lives. If we faltered and complained each time a small nuisance comes our way, how can we overcome a bigger obstacle to come before eternal salvation? We have to endure suffering as Christ endures His for our salvation. Perseverance is the key to life’s trials.

In every race there awaits the finish line and if you want to get into the finish line, you must complete the race.