Daily Word: Don't Quit

Proverbs 24:16 says: For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity. (RSV) Notice that a righteous man is not defined by not falling, but by getting up when he does. The JPS Study Bible comments: "The righteous have a 'future' because they can recover from misfortune, but the wickedness is a dead-end road." Have you experienced "falling?" What was your response? Some people go into denial: "I can't believe this is happening to me." Some people become proactive: "I'm not going to let this defeat me. I'm going to do something about it." The righteous man (or woman) is one that is proactive and does not allow defeat to win.

I have written previously about personal trials my wife and I have experienced. So many times, we were sorely tempted to give up. When defeat and despair surround you and begin to close you in, the easy thing to do is just quit. However, I can testify from experience of the truth of today's verse. The righteous get up, and I like to add, "keep fighting." Don't allow the voices of others to convince you that you are too slow, too stupid, or not capable of getting up. Proclaim your righteousness by getting up and trusting God's Word. The wicked allow one misfortune to defeat them. The righteous never allow one defeat to end the battle.

Today, consider your walk. Do you allow one fall to stop you? Don't allow the negative voices of others to stop you. Rise up and continue the fight until victory is secured. Don't forget, the potential for righteousness lies in your hand, not those that oppose you.