“Don’t give up”

I remember a zany song from my childhood that goes something like “Just what makes a little ant think he can pull a rubber tree plant? Everybody knows an ant can’t pull a rubber tree plant but he’s got high hopes!”  The children’s song was a way of teaching children of the power of perseverance and determination when they were faced with challenges.  Perseverance is defined as determinations, to be persistent, refuse to give up.  
        In Luke 18, the parable of the unjust judge and the widow teaches us of the power of perseverance.  As the story begins, we are told that there was a judge in the city that did not fear God neither regarded man.  And in the same city, there was a widow who would appear before this judge asking him to avenge her of an adversary.  Some bible translations, it says the widow had a debt she wanted to be relieved of.  In biblical times, when a man died, his family was responsible for settling his debt.  It was hard to settle debts as a woman because women were forbidden to own property or work.  The woman would appear before the judge making her appeal to him but because he lacked compassion, he would not relieve her of the debt for a while.  It is not known what the nature of the widow’s debt is.  It is irrelevant for the most part.  The widow believed that petitioning this judge would relieve her of it.  I imagine that each day of court, the woman would come with the same story, the same request in order to get the judge’s attention.  She must not have broken any laws in her approach of the judge or she would have been imprisoned for in contempt of court.  She was persistent.  The widow had high hopes and she was determined not to give up, just like the ant in the song.  

When circumstances begin to close in on you from every side, the proverb tells us to look to the ant, consider its ways and be wise.  “An ant has no commander, no ruler yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers it food at harvest”. The proverb further tells us to “free ourselves like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler”.  Take authority over the situation and move into action to change it.  The bible asks how long you will continue to lie there in slumber.  When will you get up from your sleep?  Get up and do something!  Change your surrounds, your position, and your lifestyle but make the change so that you can improve your life.  Don’t stop until the change takes place.  Going back to the parable of the judge and the widow, her perseverance and God’s favor worked to her good.  The woman was persistent to the point where the judge began to reconsider his treatment of the woman.  The story says that he admitted to himself that he did not fear God or any man but that the widow troubled him in her persistence.  It appears that the woman’s determination began to wear down this judge’s resolve over a time.  

        Remember that it was not the judge’s change of heart but the woman’s determination that effected a change in him.    In the scriptures that follow, the Lord tells us to hear what the unjust judge had to say about the case with the widow.  The writer reassures us that God takes care of his elect that cry to him day and night and that not only does he take care of them and he does so speedily.   When we press forward in faith through perseverance in the things of God, the Lord makes a way for our success.  This means that when the cares of life appear to overtake you and consider taking the easy way out rather than persevering through to the end you have a choice.  In 1 Corinthians 10:13, God’s word tells “every test that you have experiences in is the kind that normally comes as we live day by day.  But God will keep his promise he made to you.  He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm and at the time you are put to the test. God will give you the strength to endure the test and He will provide you with a successful way out.   This strength, this perseverance can be applied to many areas of your life.  Three areas that you can apply perseverance are number one “your dreams and goals”, number two “as a parent for your children’s future” and finally” in your personal walk with God”.  

        So, when you consider the “rubber tree plants” in your life, consider the little ant from our song.  In the chorus of the song, we would sing “So any time you’re feeling blue, don’t know what to do just remember that ant!  Woops there goes another rubber tree plant!”  Persevere!  Begin to petition the unjust judges in your life to forgive you of your debts.  Move the rubber tree plants of life out of your way.  And with the perseverance of the little ant have high hopes!

Prathan L. Powell is the Senior Pastor of World Changes Tabernacle, Columbus, Georgia.  To learn more about Reverend Powell or World Changes Tabernacle, visit the website at www.wctministries.org