Staying power (4)

“Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him.”

Ge 37:5 NIV

Staying power overcomes misunderstanding and rejection. Sometimes the people you count on to support you will actually try to undercut you. When God gives you a vision too big for them to handle, they’ll say, “You’re getting too big for your boots,” and then try to cut you down to size—their size! Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, then went home and told their father he’d been killed by a wild beast. Can you imagine how Joseph felt when someone asked, “Tell me about your family”? General Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “There are no victories at bargain prices.” And sadly, betrayal happens as often in church as in secular society. When Charles Spurgeon was in his early twenties, such large crowds came to his church that the building couldn’t accommodate them. So he met with thirty of his church leaders and suggested they build an auditorium that would seat 5,500 people. Allegedly, he told them that if any of them doubted the possibility of accomplishing this, they should leave. And twenty-three did! But Spurgeon held true to the vision God had given him. He had the “stickability” to see it through, and for over thirty-five years crowds packed the Metropolitan Tabernacle morning and night, making it one of the most influential churches in history. “Got any rivers you think are un-crossable? Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible; He can do just what no other can do.”

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