The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. H.W. Beecher
A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Matthew 8:2-3
Will: “a disposition to act according to principles or ends” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Imagine a World where everyone was willing (like Christ) to reach out a helping hand to their fellow citizens. There would hardly be a needy person. I'm reminded of the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The man in need was robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the side of the road. While he laid there, he was passed by more than one person better able to serve him than the one who eventually did. However, they did not have a strong will to do so. The ones who were thought to be the closest to perfection were obstinate to grace and charity. While the one supposed to be the least charitable of the travelers who passed was the one who helped. To the Israelites at the time, samaritans were commonly thought to be more like the robbers who beat the traveler than one who would help another in pure charity. But it was a samaritan who helped, after church leaders would not. It was a samaritan who gave his time and money when no one expected it of him. And it was a samaritan that can teach us all a lesson. We're all a part of that story. Whether we're the traveler, the robber, the samaritan or the church leader. But we don't have to be what others categorize us as. What matters most is that we help when there's a need. We should all persevere in using our abilities like the Good Samaritan. So that our will, will be to towards charity, instead of an obstacle to good will. Our efforts in helping ourselves are much more efficiently spent helping others. Who is remembered more in this story, the priest, or the Good Samaritan? Which one are we? And what do we want to be remembered by?
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for?
Who did I love today?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake