Joseph’s brothers despised his dream, so they threw him into a pit. Jesus’ family didn’t understand His calling; one time they actually thought He was mad. But when He reached the end of His life, He could say, ‘I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.’ If we wait for everybody to understand and agree with us, we’ll never do what God called us to do. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Methodists were holding a denominational convention. One leader stood up and shared his vision for both the church and society as a whole. He told his fellow ministers how he believed that one day men would fly from place to place instead of riding horses. But his idea was too outlandish for many in the audience to handle. One man, Bishop Wright, stood up and furiously protested: ‘Heresy! Flight is reserved for the angels!’ He went on to say that if God had intended man to fly, He would have bestowed him with wings. Clearly the bishop was unable to envision what the speaker was predicting. When he finished his protest, he collected his two sons, Orville and Wilbur, and left the auditorium. Several years later, on 17 December 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright did what their father had declared impossible; they made the first powered flight. Many people prefer the comforts of the past to the risks of the future, and we’ll always meet with opposition when we try to do something new and innovative. If we need the support and approval of others before we start, we’ll never do what God called us to do.

What Now?

Do a bit of research into inventions that people said couldn’t be done, and the creators who refused to be put off. Then spend some time asking God to help you to also be persistent in the tasks He’s given you.