Impossible or Not?

There are many perseverance stories on the internet that are difficult to confirm. For example, I found one story about a schoolteacher named Lillian Pringle. She apparently amassed over $2 million by her retirement. “She started investing small amounts in mutual funds in her 30s and lived a modest lifestyle well below her means. Her investments benefited from compounding over several decades, demonstrating the impact of long-term, consistent investing.” – Tactical Investor

She persevered going from basically nothing to a retirement nest egg that was significantly more than most achieve. Most investors don’t persevere. They think it is impossible to achieve anything of significance. They are fearful and greedy. Persevering in those attributes is a recipe for disaster.

Yesterday we visited a historical site on an island near Parkersburg WV. Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park has a Palladian mansion as the main attraction on the island. What is sad about the history is that the original owners of the mansion went from riches to rags. There are several reasons for this, but they made many bad decisions in a relatively short time. The persevered in bad decision making.

Perseverance Where It Matters

The New Testament author James said several things that require perseverance. It is important to persevere in learning to listen and keeping one’s mouth shut. We should persevere in putting evil out of our life. We need to be disciplined in doing what we know is right, not just knowing what is right. Perseverance, of course, applies to marriage, investing, childcare, and physical health. For example, wise husbands are quick to hear and slow to speak.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:19-27

Are you persevering in the things that matter for your family, your community and your eternity? This will require discipline, wisdom and focus.

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.