I follow with great interest the stories of men and women who ascend the world's highest mountains. The indomitable spirit of blind climbers, the tenacity of those who try time and time again, the unreachable itch of those who climb "because it's there." Each of them has physically trained, professionally equipped and mentally prepared. They hire the best guides, purchase state of the art equipment and strengthen themselves for peak performance. If we are to persevere we, too, must depend on training and top-notch equipment. And, just as world-class climbers have a mental image of the ascent, it is important to have a clear picture of what perseverance looks like. So,I suggest that you find scriptural pitons to secure your climb and maintain your safety in your rise from the valley to the mountaintop. My mother's favorite verse(piton) was "be not weary in well-doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not." As I talked to Lawson Ridgeway about perseverance he gave me his favorite: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I like the verse "he that hath begun a good work in you will continue it to completion."
Christ personified God. One of the oldest philosophical statements is, "truth is ultimately a person." And when I was asking a philosopher friend to explain it, he, being of Jewish faith, said, "you should easily understand it, for Christ said, 'I am the truth.'"
When I was young I decided there were six traits I would like to have in my life , I got pictures of six men whom I felt personified these traits and asked them to autograph their pictures and I hung them on the wall just so that these traits might be personified.
I was speaking at a meeting in the part of a state which had been historically controlled by one strong tyrannical man. He not only controlled the politics, he owned the land and controlled the jobs and industries. Through the years we had become relatively friendly but about two years ago when I saw him, much to my surprise he came over and hugged me and told me how much he respected me. Just a few weeks ago I saw him again and his deterioration was depressing but he came hurriedly up, hugged me like a child and told me this time how much he loved me, which was so contrary to his former demeanor. His wife said to me, "Fred, he has Alzheimer's and it is fairly advanced but he has been anxious to see you ever since he knew you were coming. He won't remember anything you say but he'll remember he saw you and that you hugged him. Persevering through mental and physical deterioration is a valiant battle. We can be co-warriors.
Personification is one of our deepest and most lasting teachers. Who, to you, is persevering as you would like to? Get their picture, spend time with them, write them, let them know they are your example. And in what ways are you persevering that will impact others?
What is the mountain that you are preparing to climb? Do you have your equipment in good order? Have you established your picture of the effort? Do you know what it will feel like to stand at the top and say, "I made it?" Begin the ascent.
