THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE
It’s a beloved childhood tale— the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. In a fabled race, the hare took off like a rocket. Then, convinced he had the race won, he settled in for a comfortable nap. Meanwhile, as the hare snoozed, the tortoise continued trudging away, putting one paw in front of another, until he passed the hare and crossed the finish line. It’s a great message. Our race in life isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. As long as we continue plodding along, slow and steady, we’ll succeed.
Many Bible examples testify to this truth. Consider Joseph. Sold by his brothers to human traffickers, Joseph languished for thirteen years as a slave and a prisoner. But God was working behind the scenes, accomplishing his purpose. Joseph continued doing the next right thing, never giving up on God, even when circumstances appeared hopeless.
There’s a word for this quality: “Perseverance.” Like Mr. Tortoise, we put one foot in front of the other, and continue plodding along. Galatians 6:9 states, “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up” (CSB). Perhaps like me, you want quick results. Some of us even scream at a microwave, “Hurry up!” But we need to trust God’s timing, as he works behind the scenes.
As we launch into a new year, it’s exciting to grasp the fresh opportunities before us. But pretty quickly in “Race 2022,” obstacles bombard us. It’s tempting to whine, “It’s too hard,” throw up our arms and quit. I imagine the tortoise felt like curling up in his shell, and calling it quits as well. But he understood that the race is a marathon, and at times we just have to push through the pain. Perseverance wins the race in the end.
God has some amazing surprises for us in 2022. But a lot of roadblocks lie ahead as well. If we knew them all, we would stop in our tracks and drop out of the race. Thankfully, God only shows us where to take the next step. Because that’s all we need to know. We simply continue plugging away, doing the next right thing. Because in life, it’s not the rabbits who win the race, it’s the tortoises, who refuse to give up, plodding along, slow and steady.
Principle: Slow and steady wins the race in the end.
Ponder:
What exciting things are you looking forward to in 2022?
What sacrifices are you willing to make to receive them?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50.
Prayer: “Lord, thank you for the struggles I face in my race. Give me strength to persevere through those struggles.”