Ever hear the story of Robert Bruce and the spider? My pastor
shared his story during the sermon this past Sunday and its message lingered in
my heart.
The devil knows his best tool to trip me up is
discouragement. Perseverance is not a natural strength for me and I bet not for
most of us. Yet that “try one more time
attitude” fills me with optimist hope that maybe, just maybe the next
time...
When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it
one more time."
~Author Unknown
People in Scotland
like to tell the legend of Robert Bruce and the spider. In 1306 he was crowned
King of Scotland and began the quest to free Scotland from the English.
Battle after battle he
had fought with England. Six times Robert Bruce had led his brave little army
against his foes. Six times his men had been beaten, until finally they were driven
into flight. At last the army of Scotland was entirely scattered, and the king
was forced to hide in the woods and in lonely places among the mountains.
He was on the
run - a hunted man. He sought refuge in a small dark cave and sat and
watched a little spider trying to make a web. Six times she tried to throw her
thread from one edge of the cave wall to another. Six times her thread fell
short. Discouragement.
Time and time again
the spider would fall and then climb slowly back up to try again.
Finally, as the Bruce
looked on, the spider managed to stick a strand of silk to the cave wall
and began to weave a web.
Robert was inspired by
the spider and went on to defeat the English. Bruce's army of 5,000 defeated
Edward II's much larger army of 20,000, driving the English finally and firmly
out of Scotland. Scotland won its independence because Robert Bruce wouldn’t
give up.
I needed to hear that story and what a great way to start
the week - with hope and encouragement to try, try again. Each day, moment-by-moment, I look at
defeat and shake my head, NO! I choose to go on and not give up. I get tired, impatient
and yes discouraged. I rest and read about others continuing their call and it
inspires me to be obedient to God in the marathon of life. The Holy Spirit
renews me with the gifts of faith, hope, and perseverance. - all light my next step.
A few more inspirations:
“Many of life's failures are
people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
“Every strike brings me closer to
the next home run.”
“It always seems impossible until
it's done.”
“We ask ourselves, Who am I to be
brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You
are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure
around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.”
Marianne Williamson
“Consider it pure joy my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so
that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
“It’s like in the great stories,
Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they
were.
And sometimes you didn’t want to
know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back
to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it’s only a
passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come.
And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the
stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small
to understand why.
But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do
understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning
back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to
something.”
Sam in Lord of the
Rings
I plan on remembering Robert Bruce’s spider legend this week
and like Sam said, I am holding onto Something. How about you?
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