By Sandy Kirby Quandt

The other day while I was reminiscing several scenes popped into my mind that caused me to smile. All centered around stubbornness.

Before Sissy jumps in with a comment about how stubborn I was, am, and probably will always be, let me assure you stubbornness is a trait that runs through both sides of our lineage. I am not the only sibling who keeps the characteristic alive and well. Just ask Chief or Butter’s wife if you don’t believe me.

One of those memories that brought a smile to my face was of a friend who arrived late to Sunday School. The youngest of her three daughters had decided she did not want to go to church that morning. As my friend tried to entice her 4-year-old out of her pajamas and into her dress, the youngster stood firm. Arms tightly crossed over her chest, she belted out the song she’d learned the previous week.

“I shall not, I shall not be moved! I shall not, I shall not be moved! Just like a tree-ee planted by the wa-a-a-ter-er. I shall not be moved!”

At the time of the retelling we both laughed. Of course, it was not funny for my friend at the time she wrestled with her daughter to get her to move.

Several years ago while confessing my bent towards stubbornness to my sweet girlfriend, she told me that was a good thing. (You hear that, Sissy? My stubbornness is a good thing.)

Girlfriend went on to explain that because I was stubborn and refused to go along with the crowd, I was able to honor God with my decisions.

Thinking about all the trouble I could have gotten into as a teen if I hadn’t stood firm in my beliefs, makes me shudder. Possibly you can relate to your own situations where being stubborn was the right thing for you to do. Or where you wished maybe you’d been a little more hard-headed.

As believers in the One True God we are called to be different. We’ve been set apart to do the work God calls us to through the power of his son, Jesus. We are told not to let anything move us away from that work. We are to complete it to the best of our ability.

It’s okay for us to sing out, “I shall not be, I shall not be moved” as long as we are standing firm in God, and not in the things of the world.

Any other stubborn people out there, or is it just a Kirby-Hinson thing?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave a comment below. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NCV)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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One of my devotions will appear on Christian Devotions today, December 18, 2014. Please stop by and take a look.