The Goal or Somewhere Short of It

“Most failures in relation to the road of the ideal are not because of complete unfaithfulness but because faithfulness is not complete.  Men who have put their hand to the plow look back, get tired, sit down and go to sleep.”  The Interpreter’s Bible, pf. 576

I spend every January preparing for one group of people, freshman, in one class, an introductory class in 3-D.  I actually ready dozens of books all year in prep for this one class.  Why, because the start is so critical.  All people start, start school, jobs, marriage, cleaning, organizing, we are all starting.  The problem is, many of us don’t finish.  Somewhere along the way we just quit.  In every start there has to be an understanding of the task and the finish, a knowing that starting is the easiest part, so brief, we say, “I do!” we make the first mark, we begin.  But then there is the inevitable task of what we started, the long road, the failures, and setbacks, but all along the way the life is being lived, the completing is being worked out, the piece is being realized.  And then we finish and can lay down our life or our chisel and say we have run the race, we have done it.  So often the end comes and either, we are a long way from the finish line or we or we just don’t show up (called dropping the course in college).  This is why I prep so much for this one class, it is the start, the shortest and easiest part, the beginning, but my job is to allow them to gain the knowledge that will carry them through the task to the finish and to instill in them the determination to carry them through to the completion.  I will be ever-present for their start but if they are to be an artist it will be necessary for them to find another Helper, one who promises that ‘He began the good work of them and that He will go with them to completion’ because every start has an ultimate finish, the goal or somewhere short of it.