Personality Flaw #2
I am often guilty of not having thought things through.
It would have made all kinds of sense for me to practice a long walk, say 100 miles, before committing myself to nearly 1,200 miles of walking. My farthest practice walk was 22 miles. I’ve done more than that multiple times on this pilgrimage.
I am absolutely sure that had I done a 100-mile practice run, er, walk, there’s no way in creation I would have committed to 1,200. No way. No how.
I am guilty of once I have started something, I will keep going till I break it (flaw #1) or finish what I started. I think that if something is worth starting, then it’s worth finishing. Of course, there are times when a project should be abandoned. It doesn’t make sense to continue. But, I am not able to determine when that is. So. I keep going.
I heard a story that had a tremendous impact on me about a missionary couple. The couple was retiring after 40 years of service. There was a large gathering of Christians taking turns sharing memories. Finally, it was the couple’s turn.
However, before they could speak, an old crooked man from the country they served made his way up front.
“Let me tell you something you don’t know,” he began. “When you came here 40 years ago, we didn’t want you to stay. The first year after you planted your crops, we poisoned them so they would fail. But, you didn’t leave.
“The following year, we decided to burn down your house. Still, you didn’t leave. The third year, you had a young child. We poisoned your child thinking that surely you would leave then. But, you didn’t. It was then we realized that there was something different about you, something special and we’d better learn what it is. And we were glad you stuck it out.” And then he sat down.
How soon people will give up. How soon people will even blame God for their own unwillingness to endure. “Surely, God doesn’t want us here, or for us to continue.” When sticking it out would have made all the difference.
If God wants you to start something, it is with certainty that God wants you to finish. So, I think.
You’d think that with less than 100 miles to go and 1,000 in the bank that I’d be more confident about finishing.
I have aches and pains and other things going on that I don’t mention. But, this I can say. I will either finish this walk or break something trying…and then finish it anyway.
Maybe I’d better rethink that last sentence.
Nah. I don’t think I will.
