Quitting?
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ISV
(4) Love is always patient, Love is always kind, Love is never envious Or vaunted up with pride. Nor is she conceited,
(5) And never is she rude, Never does she think of self Or ever get annoyed. She never is resentful,
(6) Is never glad with sin, But always glad to side with truth, Whene’er the truth should win.
(7) She bears up under everything, Believes the best in all, There is no limit to her hope, And never will she fall.
(8) Love never fails. Now if there are prophecies, they will be done away with. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
The only way the finish line will not be crossed, the only way victory will be averted is if somehow and in some way quitting is imposed, whether willingly or otherwise. From death to a mere choice to take another, less resistant route there is a challenge to completion that is very real and effective against those who are susceptible, against those whose focus has become diverted from the prize. Where passion and purpose has been fixed upon the reward, however, there is nothing, including death that can separate them from the success of a love eternal.
There is a cartoon character that keeps coming to mind as I’ve thought on this never-quitting attitude of love. Wonderful Pepe LePew, the undauntable French skunk, whose passions have become ignited over a cat that has by some misfortune come to look like a skunk, doesn’t know how to even consider stopping the pursuit of his new found love. Though continually rejected and made to endure endless physical trials and mauling, his unfailing response is to bounce along after his ‘love’ and produce incredible optimism in the face of impossible opposition. He says things like, ’She thinks that by running away from me she is going to make herself more attractive to me- How right she is.’, ‘Oh well, there are other fish in the sea—- if you like fish.’ and ‘You know, most men would get discouraged about love. Fortunately for her I am not like most men.’ Rather than become discouraged by resistance, he is inspired ever more to press on to acquire his prize.
Quitting will always be an option that is the most popular and readily chosen, but for the one who isn’t ‘like most men’, there is a reward that looms large in the sights, prohibiting even the consideration of a terminated quest. Though there may be a seemingly endless barrage of rejection, abuse, maltreatment, neglect, exploitation or just temptation to give up trying to walk the path of righteousness in pursuit of a unique eternal purpose, there will ever be a victorious option in the love of God. There will ever be a way to rise from the dust and ashes with a word of faith and optimism that reflects a heart ensconced in this never failing nature of love that bears all, believes the best and has no limit. The thought of giving up or quitting will become a fleeting one as the nature of God is acquired in His presence and His eternal optimism produces faith responses where woe, worry and despair were once heard.
There is an aroma of God’s presence to be spread wherever we go. For some it will be the fragrance of life while in others it will produce rejection and persecution as it means death to them. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) Once set on the course of life in Christ, however, there need not be any turning from its perfect way of liberty no matter its reception. Given a mission and a purpose in Him, there need not be the slightest consideration of the opposition as the nature of love elevates the allure of the prize far above any resistance. May the undaunted pursuit continue today in an attitude of unfailing and unstoppable love.
Galatians 6:9 KJV
(9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
James 1:12 ISV
(12) How blessed is the man who endures temptation! When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor’s crown of life that God has promised to those who keep on loving him.
Psa 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.