Begin Well, Work Well, Finish Well
Six weeks ago, I told you how proud I was of Ray for joining my painting class. I was at play rehearsal when class started yesterday. I was surprised when I met him at Notgrass History headquarters, and he came walking in with his painting. In six weeks, he went from this:
. . . to this!
I think it is beautiful. I look forward to hanging it and am trying to decide on the best spot.
Ray’s painting illustrates a crucial life skill that adults and children need. The concept is simple but carrying it through is often a challenge.
Having a desire to accomplish a certain task is a good first step, but as Fred Rogers used to say in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, “You’ve got to do it, do it, do it, do it.”
In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians to finish what they had desired to do a year ago.
I give my opinion in this matter,
for this is to your advantage,
who were the first to begin a year ago
not only to do this,
but also to desire to do it.
but now finish doing it also,
so that just as there was
the readiness to desire it,
so there may be also
the completion of it by your ability.
2 Corinthians 8:10-11
Too many people go through life wishing they could do something but never following through to the end. It is true that extenuating circumstances sometimes prevent us from following through on a good idea, but sometimes the problem is laziness:
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
Proverbs 19:24
Sometimes the problem is fear. Jesus told a parable about a man who gave varying numbers of talents to three servants. Two of those servants pleased their master by using the talents well and gaining more, but the other servant displeased his master by giving in to his fear and gaining nothing.
“And I was afraid, and went away
and hid your talent in the ground.
See, you have what is yours.”
Matthew 25:25
Sometimes the problem is a lack of discipline, even though God has gifted us with discipline:
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,
but of power and love and discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
Sometimes we get sidetracked, as Jesus described in the parable of the sower:
And the one on whom seed
was sown among the thorns,
this is the man who hears the word,
and the worry of the world
and the deceitfulness of wealth
choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Matthew 13:22
Children are counting on Mama and Daddy to train them to start worthy goals, to work hard at achieving those worthy goals, and to finish well. God is counting on us to train them to finish the most important task they have to do.
. . . One thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind
and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize
of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13b-14