Have you ever been tempted to just give up? You know, throw up your hands and scream, “That’s it, I QUIT!” If we are to be honest, we would have to say “YES”. Paul, a man stoned, beaten, scourged and shipwrecked for his faith said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” Phil 3:12, 13. Paul said that he would “press on”. He was a man who determined not to be swayed by life’s bumps and bruises. As difficult or tragic, things come into our lives, we can respond three different ways: reactive, responsive, or adaptive. They can be illustrated by responding to the premise, “When life gives you lemons…”
- The reactive person bemoans life’s cruelty and blames the lemons.
- The responsive person makes lemonade.
- The adaptive person will make lemonade and offer it for sale and will incorporate a juggling act to bring in more business, he will relocate to a busy corner and franchise his new-found lemonade business.
Paul was adaptive! He took every opportunity to share the love of God in Christ Jesus. Whether it was planting a new church, sitting in jail, or floating a day and a night in the sea, he was a man who put his eyes to the prize and never lost sight of the finish line. “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:14. Let us lift our eyes and run for the prize!