Lucho Llanca

“Everyone is a SUCCESS on the first day of their job” Many people can TALK and make a good impression, but over a period of time or eventually the reality of WHO that person is will emerge. Today we live in a mobile society, not only because we have the mode of transportation to move around, and not because promotions tend to move us from one state to another, but because we generally RUN away from adversity. Proverbs 17:17 says adversity is our “calling,” but we have a tendency to take the easy way out and get out of town or stray from difficulties when they come our way. The story of the rabbit and the turtle does not seem to be a story for adults, but only for children; however, we can learn a lot from that children’s story. It’s not about the FASTness of the boot; It’s not about HOW GOOD YOU LOOK, although first impressions are important.

What is most lacking today is vigor and PERSEVERANCE. Not finishing goes to the heart of what is most important to God: The Covenant! We persevere little by little. Isaiah 28:10 is the foundation for this SUCCESS principle! Persistence separates the winners from the losers. Their theology isn’t the best, but this statement by the wise Confucius hits home: “Our greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Life is going to throw some ugly situations at us, but how we handle them determines our success. We must LEARN from our mistakes and take advantage of the teachings – and not be servants of them. When Sir Isaac Newton was asked how he discovered the law of gravity, he replied, “By thinking about it all the time.” And, Randy Travis is said to have been turned down by every record company in Nashville at least once! Unfortunately, we live in a microwave society. We have STUFF immediately. If someone after leaving university does not get a job with a salary of US$70,000 per year, they become dissatisfied. If someone can’t get married and have all the furniture in a new home with a two-car garage, something is wrong. Naturally we expect stock market returns of 20% each year. The reality of life is found in the men and women of the Bible who many times had to go through exceedingly difficult and tough times. Over a long period they allowed their character to form and were tested by adversity that would show their true spirit. Essentially, we have been spoiled by living in America at this time. DIFFICULT times will come your way. History proves it, and we are no smarter than our ancestors in avoiding the hard times of life. And, when these times come, we will see who the winners are. Often they will be the ones who keep their hand to plow and PERSIST when the fair wind workers are gone. “A FAILURE is when you stop trying, and I never did that.” Tom Monaghan, Founder of Domino’s Pizzerias

By E.F