Grace under pressure

John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303

By John Hatcher
Contributing Writer

In his in 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway coined the expression “grace under pressure” to describe courage. Later, John F. Kennedy used the phrase to platform his Pulitzer winning Profiles in Courage, written when he was a United States Senator. Kennedy’s book chronicled U.S. Senators who took courageous stands against the mood and sentiments of the country.

I have known people who believed in their convictions, but used intimidation to accomplish their purposes. Their tactic basically was to induce fear to such an extent that their opposition would quake and go along with them. I have seen this type shake their finger in my nose and call me all sorts of names. Intimidation has been used for a long time by the powerful and rich. A threat to sue is a form of intimidation. A bully uses intimidation.

We had a bully in my elementary school. His name was Arnold. He was neither big nor muscle bound. He just did not mind a fight. Arnold bullied me once and to this day I regret that I did not sock him or at least verbalize what he was doing. Rather, I remember running for cover at home. Even then, he had the nerve to come to our front screen door and ask my daddy if John could come out. Now, if my father had known what had just taken place, he would have taken care of business because my father was afraid of no one even though he was only five feet, six inches tall.

But “grace under pressure” refers to someone who has the courage of their convictions. They calmly sit and listen and then do and say for what their convictions call. Too often we have convictions but handle the pressure poorly. I remember once (believe me there was more than one time) when a proposal of mine came under fierce opposition. My response was immature. I did some name calling (of course appropriate for a minister). Later, I recall walking out of a meeting.

I wish I could recall those experiences and exercise the wisdom I believe I now have (my mama said “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride”). So much of life calls for “grace under pressure.” Not a day goes by when we don’t have some sort of pressure.

Just think about the family situation. Little junior wants to go outside and play but he needs to work on his homework. He goes back and forth to mom and dad. He keeps at it. Parents become under pressure from this three-foot bully. He wants his way and he wants it now. Dad finally blows his top, demands the kid go and do his homework. Mom tells dad he could have handled it differently. The kid thinks both parents now are mad at him. Nobody is happy the rest of the night in that household. Sound familiar?

There’s pressure in marriage. Even the need for romance causes pressure. There’s pressure at work where the demand is to last year’s figures. The television ushers pressure into our very nesting area. Buy this air purifier now. Order this and that now. Be the first in line at the weekend department store sale. Redecorate your home now and pay for the rest of your life.

Pressure comes into our homes through the mailbox. When we follow orders and buy something “now,” eventually the bill comes. How are we going to pay all these bills? On top of all that, the family is growing and everyone says we need to move into a larger house. Yet, we can’t afford the one in which we are living now. Pressure! Deadlines!

“Grace under pressure” calmly and coolly knows what he believes and stands by his convictions. Calmly and coolly you say, “No Bobby, you will do your homework now. Go to your room and do your work now.”

God wants us to live our lives with convictions, but not convictions with consternation. But with joy! Grace is the way. Grace attempts to imagine what it must be like to walk in another’s shoes and thereby tempers whatever is done or said. Grace embraces life as a gift and seeks to find the beauty and wonder in all of life. Yet, God would never want us to forfeit our convictions. Vacillation has never won an award. Courage has.

So, especially to all my brothers and sisters in the ministry: “Only be strong and very courageous ...so you may have success wherever you go”(Joshua 1: 7).