Morning Devotional

January 11, 2004

"Working for Tips" 

by Don Emmitte

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But this precious treasure--this light and power that now shine within us--is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).

Much of what I know about persistence I learned early in life from the jobs I was given to do. One of them was a sacker at a grocery store owned by my uncle. It was a little larger than the one my dad owned, so there were more opportunities to earn tips. I did not get a salary, whatever money I might earn came solely from the money given to me by customers that helped with their groceries. That seems awfully strange in today’s world, but as a ten-year-old boy this was a vast resource of income. There were days when I could earn $5.00! That was a lot of money in the 50’s!

The most important ingredient for success in this venture was persistence. Not everyone gave me a “tip.” Some only gave me a few pennies. But there were those who might give me a quarter! Since I never knew which one would be the “big tipper,” I always believed that it was the one I was helping at that moment. I made sure their groceries were packaged carefully and they were treated with the utmost courtesy. I knew if I just kept at it, there would be plenty at the end of the day. Working for tips at the Minimax provided lessons in persistence that has paid dividends for a lifetime.

Persistence is the single most important ingredient for success in life. It’s more important than intellect, athletic ability, good looks, or personal magnetism. If you’re willing to stumble and fall and still keep on going, you’ll succeed. Early in my career in the car business I was well rewarded because of my persistence. My first year I sold a few cars, though the number of calls I made to prospects far outweighed the number of sales. The second year I continued to persist in calling prospects and the number of sales increased. My third year, with persistence as the basis for my strategy, I led the entire dealership in sales. You see I had decided that when confronted with failure or a disappointment, you have only two choices: give up or persist. I decided to persist. Now five years later and managing the store, I still recall those early lessons. They have worked well!

If I could pass on one character trait to others, one single quality that would help them achieve success in life, it would be persistence. It’s a God-given compensation for what we lack in other areas of our life. Never underestimate its power. Whatever goals you have before you, don’t give up. Even when you feel “pressed on every side,” don’t quit! Your “big tip” is right around the corner!