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@ who art in heaven
2023-09-16 01:50:00
The wording of this title is chosen deliberately.
I will not be discussing the highest virtue, the most impactful virtue, or the virtue which is the most difficult to perform. I mean to describe the virtue which must precede all others. All other virtues must be built on this foundation. This is the virtue of persistence.
Even if you do not agree with the premise, you can at least see the logic which is as follows: it doesn't matter if you have talent or grace or love or wisdom or strength or bravery if when you are knocked down you cannot get back up again. Conversely, you can be a fool who has made a million mistakes, but if you stand back up after being on the ground, you can still triumph. In the words of the Italian Stallion himself, "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."
So, what's Monkey D. Luffy doing on the cover of this article? Well, to me, his character is a case study of the virtue of persistence. When describing what makes Luffy admirable, many will talk about his fidelity to his friends, his boldness to dream big, and even his desire to be completely free. But, I say that if you look at the mechanics of the story itself, everything is pointing you to his most fundamental virtue: an ethic of elasticity.
I'm not just saying that to be cute. The central metaphor of the show is plain as day: the real superpower in this world is the ability to bounce back. Among Shonen anime this theme is everywhere, but One Piece is unique in that this saying is both figuratively and literally true of the protagonist. And, it's embedded into every conflict of the story. Luffy is always outmatched. He is always knocked down. And, he always springs back up to fight for his friends, achieve his goals, and ultimately liberate himself. But, he could not do any of those things without his stubborn, almost idiotic persistence. This trait has become a source of joy and inspiration for many who love this story. But, it's not just in this story.
Looking at the Bible, it's clear that persistence is held up as exemplary throughout. If we look first at Jacob who is renamed Israel, we see a conniving screw-up from whom eventually comes God's chosen people and even the savior of the world. Israel as a name means, "strives with God" or "wrestles with God." Jacob receives this name after a physical struggle with a divine being who is in some real sense God himself. God injures Jacob in this encounter, but Jacob holds onto him. In an act that can only be rightly understood as defiant, he insists on receiving God's blessing and says to God, "I will not let you go until you bless me." God then blesses him. As strange as this story is, it should be noted that this is far from the only act of audacious persistence in the Bible.
A descendant of Israel from the tribe of Judah named Perez, which means "breach," was named this after struggling with his brother in the womb to come out first. After he was born, they said of him, "This one has made a breach for himself." His line would eventually produce the messiah, Jesus. Jesus himself often rewarded people around him for their persistence. A gentile woman, whom Jesus compared to a dog, was later commended by Jesus for being persistent in asking for him to heal her child. In a parable, Jesus commends the actions of a widow who was so persistent in seeking justice for her cause that she bothered the judge of her case to give her justice day and night. And, even though the judge was a wicked man, he gave her justice because of her persistence. There was again another woman who had been ill and mistreated by doctors for many years, who pushed through a crowd surrounding Jesus so that she could grab and hold onto his cloak to be healed. This woman, a daughter of her forefather, Israel, was persistent and for that, she was rewarded with life.
I think all of us must find spiritual life and spiritual victory in this way. The apostle Paul often refers to life as a race. He says that we ought to run this race with a mind to win and a determination to finish. In other words, we ought to endure, to persevere, to persist until the end. He points us to Christ who is as in all things the ultimate example. He suffered a most cruel death at the hands of his enemies and even the turning away of God's face. But, he did not stay down. He rose again.
Romans 2:7
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.