Perseverance Brings Success

How to Make a Difference

Dec 14, 2024

In our rural township, there’s an ancient one-room schoolhouse. The Monroe one-room schoolhouse has been a school since before 1820, serving the mainly farming community for over a hundred years. After consolidation to a more centralized primary school that took place in the mid-20th Century, the building eventually became an historical centerpiece of the town, a sturdy stone structure reflecting the persona of the people who lived here.

During those early days of the nation, the people here were in the second generation of those who first cleared the land and built the farm. Stone by stone clearing from the fields so planting could take place, bringing fields of corn and hay for the family and the cattle. Wells were dug and log cabins constructed. These difficult and tedious efforts were completed by a committed and hardy people. Their children followed this demanding work and built up and sustained the farms that had in the following years created the solid foundation upon which our great country has stood as a shining place in the hearts of the world.

In the school were the building blocks of education. We can visualize what the kids learned through what remains. Books are on the shelf that show that they covered the basics of life: how to be good to neighbors, how to use simple math to buy essentials, and the history of the world and how we got here. The Bible was a tool to convey reason and meaning.

A prominent sign that hung on the wall of the one room school was “Perseverance Brings Success.”

Along with many other ways of teaching, I think these three words convey much. To me, this phrase is a principle, a recurring guidepost along the way of life’s journey. Keep trying hard, overcome difficulties, make the best of what you have, and achieve success. Success may be measured in different ways and at various times, but a goal is a measure where a flag can be planted and reaching it would be a sign of success.

Perseverance is referred to in the Bible passage below. It is also a key part of how someone can be like those Portraits of Character that are repeatedly illuminated in Inspiring History over the weeks and years. As a person who exemplifies a Portrait in Character, he or she would of course do good for humankind. But a key aspect is that they work toward that goal of doing good and that they continuously strive toward that virtue. Through highs and lows, hardship and sorrow, outlooks that may be dismal or fair—the person would persevere. They would keep trying to do good for the betterment of the world. Perseverance brings success.

ROMANS 5:3-4 (NIV)

³Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

⁴ and that the perseverance, then brings character; and that character, hope.

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Inspiring History is a compendium of people we could recognize for their good traits: knowledge, skills, abilities, and intentions that amount to qualities that have made our world a better place. These Portraits in Character offer us examples that we could emulate ourselves for us to also improve the human condition and the world around us.

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