06/21/2009 - by Chuck Monan, Preaching Minister

Growing up in Flint, Michigan, enabled me to associate with all sorts of characters.  One of the most colorful was my best friend’s brother.  He was three years older than us and light-years cooler.  He was also averse to the entire educational process.  Rather than sit through the tedium of Mandeville Jr. High, he preferred to sneak out and walk to the South Flint Plaza where many adventures awaited.  So frequently did he skip that during his 8th grade year, school officials mailed a letter to his home which read, “Mr. and Mrs. Moore:  Your son has missed 54 days of school.”

And it was only March.

He and his brother intercepted the letter and made sure their parents never saw it, ensuring the continuation of the trips to the South Flint Plaza.

I thought of my friend’s brother when I read a story about Stefanie Zaner of Darnestown, Maryland.  She recently graduated from high school with a perfect 4.0 grade average.  In fact, she’s made straight A’s since the 4th grade, even with such difficult classes as multivariable calculus.  Yet this isn’t the most impressive part of Stefanie’s academic record.

She has never missed a day of school.  Not once.  For thirteen years of school, from     Kindergarten through the 12th grade.  That is 2,340 days in a row.  Not one time was she marked absent.  Not for a cold, a family vacation, a college visit, or a senior skip day.  Not for sheer exhaustion from studying and working an after-school job that kept her out until 10:00 p.m. some nights.

When the bell rang, she was there.

Woody Allen says, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

This applies not only to education but also to Christianity.  The apostle Paul writes, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9).  At one time or other all of us get tired, discouraged, and wonder if we can go on.  We ask ourselves if it is worth it.

We can go on.  It is worth it.

Frequently I am humbled to see brothers and sisters in Christ walking slowly through the doors here at PV.  Many of them are facing debilitating diseases and maladies.  You know they must feel poorly; you can see it in many cases.  But they come to worship the Lord.  And to encourage their brethren, and in turn to be encouraged.  They are answering the bell.
They are heroes, folks.  Heroes to us, and heroic in the sight of God.  May we follow their example of determination and commitment as we answer the bell.