Working for Tips

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:7-10, ESV). Much of what I know about persistence I learned early in life from the jobs I was given to do. One of them was a sacker at a grocery store owned by my uncle. It was a little larger than the one my dad owned, so there were more opportunities to earn tips. I did not get a salary, whatever money I might earn came solely from the money given to me by customers that I helped with their groceries. That seems awfully strange in today’s world, but as a ten-year-old boy this was a vast resource of income. There were days when I could earn $5.00! That was a lot of money in the 50’s! The most important ingredient for success in this venture was persistence. Not everyone gave me a “tip.” Some only gave me a few pennies. But there were those who might give me a quarter! Since I never knew which one would be the “big tipper,” I always believed that it was the one I was helping at that moment. I made sure their groceries were packaged carefully and they were treated with the utmost courtesy. I knew if I just kept at it, there would be plenty at the end of the day. Working for tips at the Minimax provided lessons in persistence that has paid dividends for a lifetime. Persistence is the single most important ingredient for success in life. It’s more important than intellect, athletic ability, good looks, or personal magnetism. If you’re willing to stumble and fall and still keep on going, you’ll succeed. Early in my career in the car business I was well rewarded because of my persistence. My first year I sold a few cars, though the number of calls I made to prospects far outweighed the number of sales. The second year I continued to persist in calling prospects and the number of sales increased. My third year, with persistence as the basis for my strategy, I led the entire dealership in sales. You see I had decided that when confronted with failure or a disappointment, you have only two choices: give up or persist. I decided to persist. After five years and managing the store, those lessons still applied. In fact, now that I am pastoring again as well as full-time counseling, I still recall those early lessons. They have worked well! If I could pass on one character trait to others, one single quality that would help them achieve success in life, it would be persistence. It’s a God-given compensation for what we lack in other areas of our life. Never underestimate its power. Whatever goals you have before you, don’t give up. Even when you feel “pressed on every side,” don’t quit! Your “big tip” is right around the corner!