True Grit
In 1969, John Wayne starred in a movie title “True Grit,” and in 2010 the movie was remade with Jeff Bridges as the star. The movie was based on a book written by Arkansas author Charles Portis and first published in the Saturday Evening Post as a series of stories in 1968. Set in the late 1870s, the story tells of a Deputy U.S. Marshall and a Texas Ranger who help a young girl pursue her father’s murderer into Indian territory to exact “justice.” The name of the movie comes from the girl’s evaluation of the Marshall’s gritty qualities.
There is only one John Wayne.
The word “grit” as used here means one who has a tough character or imperturbable spirit. It describes a quality that many lamentably do not possess today. This is the ability to stick to something even when things are difficult. There used to be a saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” It’s not in vogue these days because most simply give up instead. Such an attitude has invaded the Lord’s church to some degree. The notion of sticking with something through thick or thin has gone out of style. What prevents us from ending the good works of the church? True grit. We need faithful men and women who will step up and continue what others have begun. Paul wrote, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Lord’s church has a great work to do. Let’s not give up on it just because times are hard. Let’s find that true grit that we need to carry on.