Going For It

March 15, 2019

Looking back, it seems like a slam-dunk. We know how the Biblical stories turn out, which makes it easy to imagine that we would have been heroes of faith instead of the uncertain, wishy-washy characters we read about. “Why in the world would the Israelites have wanted to return to slavery in Egypt,” we wonder? “Why wasn’t David out with his troops instead of casting a lustful eye Bathsheba’s way?” “Why didn’t Jonah obey God and preach to Nineveh at the first, saving himself the ignominy of getting swallowed alive?” 

We look at the heroes of the faith and imagine ourselves to be cut from the same cloth. Problem is, we are. Most of the people populating the biblical narrative are a pretty sorry lot. The best of them had clay feet; the worst of them were corrupt through and through. Abraham lied about his wife, allowing her to be carted off to a king’s harem to save his own skin. David had one of his most faithful soldiers murdered to cover up his having raped the man’s wife. 

Occasionally, there slips into the story the odd line revealing character that shines like the glint of gold in the sunlight. In the story of Caleb (Joshua 14), the man accosts his old ally Joshua to claim the inheritance he had been promised forty five years previously. He is as eager to accept a challenge at 85 as he was at 40. Talk about faith! He is ready to go, but there are no guarantees of success. Towards the end of his speech he reveals the uncertainty of his endeavor: “It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said." We know of his ultimate success, but at the time, he didn’t. 

My father used to tell the story of a friend who invested in Haloid stock back in the forties. Haloid became Xerox, splitting multiple times and making dad’s friend a wealthy man. “If I had only known back then...” was dad’s lament. The problem is, his friend didn’t know either, but chose to look beyond the uncertainty to the possible reward. 

Caleb had inherited a promise, but it was up to him to cash in on it, and there was a great deal of uncertainty involved. The only thing he was sure of was that he had a promise and was going to do everything in his power to bring it to fruition. 

None of us are guaranteed success in life, but the only way to be sure to fail is to fail trying. Those who see the opportunities through the obstacles are my heroes. They are imperfect; they make mistakes; they may wait a lifetime before their opportunity comes, and even then it may not pan out. But they go for it! 

I’ve tried a lot of things in my life. Some have worked out, others have not. I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. I have more years behind me than ahead of me, but I plan to make the most of whatever time and opportunities I have left. Unlike Caleb, my strength isn’t what it was 45 years ago, and I may not conquer that mountain. But then again, I may. It’s called faith, and it’s the only way to really live.