"One of the most talked about concepts in the last few years involves a fox and a hedgehog. The story comes from ancient Greek literature and was summarized in an aphorism by Greek philosopher Archilochus. It simply states, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” Foxes tend to move around quickly, chasing new ideas. They find it difficult to stay with one vision or direction for very long, preferring to jump from one idea to another. Hedgehogs are quite the opposite. They tend to move much slower but find it easy to stay with one vision or one direction until it is accomplished. Pastors can be foxes or hedgehogs. If they are foxes, they may not have the patience or tenacity to stay long enough to see revitalization take place. Revitalization leaders are hedgehogs to one degree or another. They keep moving forward until revitalization happens. In short, they stay the course and never give up. Former prime minister Winston Churchill said, “Success is not fatal, failure is not final; it is the courage to continue that counts.” God said it more clearly: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58)."
As I was preparing for ministry I was blessed with a pastor
and mentor who was a hedgehog! He successfully planted two churches and spent twenty-eight
years as the pastor of a third. Upon His retirement, his words appropriately centered
on 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Following such words of wisdom and the example of “never
giving up” in the ministry assigned by the Lord, kept me on point for forty-plus
years. So, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord
... stay the course and never give up... great things will happen in His
time.
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