“The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” (Job 17:9 NLT)
When you were young and glad it was winter break, you were excited at first. Then came the long days where you were bored to tears and it took the cheering up or encouragement of parent to have you show some resilience; the ability to bounce back. This was followed by using your time productively, even going as far to do some schoolwork ahead of time or complete the incomplete assignments that we classified a late work. You did not wait until you got back to school.
It was the coldest part of the year, and your coach gave you three-days off, five if you included Saturday and Sunday. Did you wait until your team’s practice schedule resumed. I think not! You showed some resilience, bounced back from inactivity, grabbed the best basketball in the house, found a snow cover court and covered it with cardboard so you could practice. Not everyone did this, but you did because you were showing resilience and you were not going to wait until a certain date to bounce back from the break.
When you were in that twenty- to thirty-year-old age bracket, depending on your generation, you bounced off each other on a crowded dance floor. In my days, it was called “The Bump.” Following every bump, you bounced back, your face bulging with confidence and your hands waving back and forth. You bounced back as if it was a natural trait that you possessed and pretty much mastered.
Let’s move it up some years. When you became a parent and your children were old enough, you would rent a bounce house or find a place that had one for the children to be entertained. They were good! They did some moves which were later picked up by a professional wresting association. They were doing “Matrix” moves dodging make-believe bullets way before the movie would come out. They would be knocked down, but would bounce with back up. Did you join in the play? Brave person you are. But in any case, the family was showing resilience, how to bounce back.
Listen! This has been a different couple of years for most of us. It was like the songwriter expressed his feeling about life: “Sometimes up and sometimes down, sometimes leveled to the ground.: Here’s the part I like: “But I’m going to see the King.” See Him, in creation! See Him, in how good He has been in the past year. See Him, recognizing it was Him who through the testing days of years past and even up to the present day, who brought you through this predicament, that problems, the persistent temptations of the evil one, and the procrastination to see that He has left you for a purpose. There have been setbacks, sickness, and sadness stopped by for a visit. You suddenly realize these things and find yourself thankful, grateful, and ready to give God the praise. You find yourself doing the first of the years bounce back early! Way to go! Good for you! That’s the attitude to bring into the New Year! Keep it going! Be faithful over more than a few things! Surprise yourself and simultaneously, please God! Be blessed!
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King