Do It Anyway

From time to time, we all face discouragement. Whether discouragement takes the place of obstacles or opposition, we can lose heart in the face of discouragement and want to give up. Maybe you’ve been working on your New Year resolutions for a month now and you find you’re not obtaining the results you resolved to achieve – that can be discouraging. One of the outcomes of discouragement is the temptation to give up. You might say to yourself, “I’m never going to make it to my goal; I might as well just give up now”. Not only might you hear that inaudible voice, perhaps there are other things that stand in the way of your success. If there are obstacles and opposition you are facing that deter you from achieving your goals, read on and see how others have dealt with discouragement.
When the people returned to rebuild the wall protecting the city of Jerusalem under the direction of Nehemiah in the fifth century B.C., they faced both obstacles and opposition. The obstacles came in the form of a city whose infrastructure lay in ruins. Nehemiah said to the King he served, “The city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been burned down." They would need timber to rebuild the gates and the city walls. Where would poor refuges acquire such resources? Not only were there supply obstacles, there was opposition from other rulers who were angry that anyone might be helping Nehemiah and his people.

But Nehemiah carefully planned the process and when he revealed his plan to the refuges, they replied together, “Let’s rebuild the wall.” But their initial enthusiasm was dampened by those who opposed their rebuilding efforts with words of scorn, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble refuges think they are doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a day? Look at those charred stones they are pulling out of the rubbish and using again!" Another voice mocked their efforts by saying that if even a fox walked on the top of that stone wall, it would collapse. They faced hindrances all around and eventually the workers began to complain of being tired and overworked. Just as their enemies were ready to swoop in and defeat them, Nehemiah reminded them not be afraid of their enemies, saying, “Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your friends, your families, and your homes!"

Sometimes we need such a rallying cry as well when we are weary from discouragement. We too need to be reminded of the good task to which we’ve set our mind to. We can give up quickly when we are faced with difficulties and failures. Just like those that rebuilt the wall, we need determination to keep trying. We will always face opposition to completing any good work. In the late 1960s, a poem was written by a man trying to encourage people to keep on going, to stay the course, to keep on keeping on – to press on towards their good goals no matter what others thought. This poem has been around the world in various forms and reminds us to not give up our goals, no matter what obstacles and opposition we face.

The Paradoxical Commandments

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001
http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/
(used with permission)