Key Bible Verse: "Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones" (Luke 16:10). Bonus Reading: Luke 9:57–62

When our older daughter, Heather, was a junior in high school she played in the high school band. She had a lot going on that year; in fact, her schedule was packed too full. By the middle of the year, Heather wanted to quit the band. Karen and I both said, "Sweetheart, we're not going to let you quit in the middle of the year. You gave your word to the band director that you'd be in the band this year. If you quit now, you might develop a pattern of quitting whenever you don't like something, or when something becomes tough."

We also remind both of our boys at the beginning of every season that if they go out for any sport and make a team, "if you play, you stay." Whether he gets playing time or not, he doesn't quit. If he's on the team, even if he is sitting on the bench, he stays on that bench until the ride is over because it's important to learn "bench lessons" in life too.

It's not about just playing a baseball game (or basketball game or football game), it's all about developing perseverance and faithfulness. It's about being a man of your word and enduring until the end.

My Response: A time I stuck it out when I wanted to quit was …

Thought to Apply: You win some, you lose some, and some get rained out, but you gotta suit up for them all. —J. Askenberg (writer)