Persistence

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight  and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within,

‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”  (Luke 11:5-13)

Persistence.  Never give up.  When someone says “no,” keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.  Even friends may not be receptive, but still keep pestering each time with a new and better argument for our plea.  In other words, let’s give it our best shot and with conviction!  

Astronaut Jim Lovell has said: “There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.” 

Other people have said similar things: (1) “Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.” (Dan Millman); (2) “Whenever you have taken up work in hand, you must see it to the finish. That is the ultimate secret of success. Never, never, never give up!” (Dada Vaswani); and, of course, (3) “Do, or do not.  There is no try.” (Yoda).

“How much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” We don’t ask for fish (unless we’re commercial or recreational fishermen fishing on Cape Cod), and we don’t ask for eggs (unless our chickens aren’t cooperating).  We ask the Holy Spirit to help us step around the snakes and scorpions thrown in our paths by the wicked.  This year we especially ask for the way around the snake pits into which we may fall.

Deacon David Pierce