By Roy B. Blizzard
"Woe is thee, 0 land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning" (Ecclesiastes 10:16).
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in Understanding be men" (I Corinthians 14:20).
May And June are the months during which many students will be graduating from both high school and college. I feel that these words are especially appropriate for graduates as well as for us all.
Throughout the centuries, many times crises have confronted the people of God: times of hardship, times of suffering, times of persecution, times of death. I believe, however, that today the people of God are facing one of the most critical times in history – an age of mediocrity! Mediocrity is defined as "of only middle quality," "ordinary," "having only a moderate degree of excellence." Mediocrity is being a midget when one could be a giant.
One of the critical hours of history has come, and God’s people are not ready for it in vision, in compassion, in knowledge, in truth, in the spirit of giving, or in righteous living. A prominent church leader recently said, "If any automobile had as many useless parts as the average church, it would not run downhill." Dr. W.H. Houghton, late president of Moody Bible Institute, said, "Did angels ever see a more sorry spectacle than this present generation of powerless Christians trying to make themselves comfortable in a world of despairing men?"
In an age in which we face world-wide catastrophe of a scale unprecedented in human history, we busy ourselves playing silly, childish games. While millions live in poverty and ignorance, while starvation and godlessness reign, the people of God busy themselves with constructing monuments to man’s monumental ego.
Leonid Andreyev was a Russian novelist who, hating communism fled from Russia to Finland after the Bolshevik revolution. He wrote, "We see before us little men in great days. We always felt assured that if any trouble came we could be at ease. Our great men would handle the situation. But what became of our great men? They are pygmies in this world crisis."
Many of you perhaps remember the celebrated biography of Solomon Grundy:
Solomon Grundy –
Born on a Monday
Christened on Tuesday
Married on Wednesday
Taken ill on Thursday
Worse on Friday
Died on Saturday
Buried on Sunday
And that was the end
Of Solomon Grundy.
Solomon Grundy was a grasshopper, of course. In an age when we have a need for eagles, we are plagued with grasshoppers. Today is no day for mediocrity. If we expect to conquer – to make any impact on the world at all – we must have high goals in life.
A man once asked Daniel Webster, "What are you going to make of yourself, Daniel?" Daniel replied, "A lawyer." He was asked, "Isn’t that field overcrowded?" "No," Daniel replied, "I’m going to the top. There’s plenty of room up there." And that is what he did. He became one of the mightiest lawyers and debaters of his time.
The crying need of our age is for greatness – greatness in scholarship, greatness in goodness, greatness in godliness. Reach for the top rung of the ladder! Don’t be content to be less than you are able. Set your goals high. Expect great things! Demand great things both from yourself and from others.
By now, you may be asking the question, "Well, how do I rise above mediocrity? How can I achieve all that I have the capacity to achieve? I suggest the following three things necessary for greatness:
- Inspiration. Inspiration involves both commitment and dedication. One must be committed to a cause. The cause in this case is making a difference in the world for God. One must be dedicated to accomplishing that task. Inspiration comes from the Spirit of God indwelling the child of God. The one who desires to achieve will be urged and guided toward greatness.
- Preparation. Greatness does not come easy. No one is going to give it to you; there is a price to pay. And sometimes, it is a great price, Involving great sacrifice and diligence. The world is asking questions and you must have the answers! The easy out, "Oh, you must just accept that on faith!", is no longer acceptable. There is no need to proffer such a feeble response, for the answers are there! However, you must find them. Remember the admonition of the Apostle Peter: "Be ready (preparation) at all times to give a logical answer to every man that asks you (educated or uneducated, I might add) a reason for the hope that is within you" (I Peter 3:15).
Why should we expect a professional man or woman (such as a doctor or lawyer or scientist) who has studied ten to fifteen years in preparation for his or her life’s work to regard as authoritative the theological teachings of one who has a religious or theological education that generally ranges from nine months, memorizing all the "Faith" passages in the Bible, to a four or five-year education in an unaccredited institution or, even worse, to a purchased or honorary "Doctor’s degree?" – in other words, an education in which the person may never have been exposed to the tools that would allow him to do serious study. The Apostle Paul admonished: "STUDY to show yourself approved unto God; a workman that needs not to be ashamed because he knows how to correctly interpret the word of truth!" (II Timothy 2:15). Study is the work of a lifetime. It never ends. That’s diligence. It’s imperative for success! - Perspiration. Diligence requires work. Greatness is not going to come easy. Many times people have said to me, "Oh, I wish I knew what you know." My response is, "You can, if you are willing to pay the same price I did. You can probably know even more, because I wasn’t too smart to begin with."
Some people say cows give milk. But that is not true. Cows don’t give milk. Anyone who has ever lived on a farm or milked a cow knows that cows don’t give milk. You have to take it away from them. And many times, it isn’t going to be easy. You have to go out in the mud, rain, sleet, or snow and the cow may step in the pail or kick you! Cows don’t give milk! Bees don’t give honey! You have to take it away from them, and you are liable to get stung. They are going to put up a fight.
Everything you get, you are going to have to work for. There is no such thing as an instant, overnight success. There may be failures and setbacks – regardless of your faith, and you must be prepared for them. Whether you are a success or not depends upon whether you handle your failures or let your failures handle you.
A young man ran for legislature in Illinois and was swamped. He then entered business and failed. He spent 17 years paying off the debts of a worthless partner. He fell in love and was engaged to be married. His betrothed died. He re-entered politics and ran for Congress. Again, he was defeated. He then tried for an appointment to the U.S. Land Office, but it was denied. He ran as a candidate for the U.S. Senate and was again defeated. Two years later he ran again and was defeated again. He experienced one failure after another. Great failures – bad failures – but, he kept on striving, struggling, preparing, perspiring, and one day he finally made it to the top. His name was Abraham Lincoln.
If you want to achieve all you have the capacity in God to achieve, you must be prepared to pay the price. Yes, it’s going to be high. But if you have sufficient inspiration, preparation, and perspiration, with God’s help you can achieve.
A Mexican gentleman, on finding God, prayed this prayer:
I am only a spark; Make me a fire.
I am only a string; Make me a lyre.
I am only a drop; Make me a fountain.
I am only an anthill; Make me a mountain.
I am only a feather; Make me a wing.
I am only a serf; Make me a king.
I am only a link; Make me a chain.
I am only a sprinkle; Make me a rain.
