Quitters Are Needed

by Ed Smith
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 2, 30 June 1991

The only thing I hate more than seeing somebody quit a worthwhile endeavor is quitting it myself. As a youngster, I recall always trying to persuade people not to quit activities that I found enjoyable, such as athletics, drama, music, and scouting, to name a few. And when I failed, I resented the fact that they had turned away from something I believed to be beneficial.

Spiritually, I have felt the same way about those who quit the kingdom of God. Don’t they want the rewards? Don’t they realize how much the rewards are worth? Those who openly rebel are not so enigmatic, since the Bible plainly teaches about their presence (I Timothy 4; II Peter 2). But how do you keep somebody from just quitting?

Of all the Old Testament examples, Moses stands out as a man who knew how to motivate people (often with God’s help). And in Numbers 10:29 - 32, we find him encouraging his brother-in-law, Hobab, to journey to the promised land with them and take advantage of all the benefits God had promised to the Israelites (v.29). But the promise was not enough to keep Hobab from quitting: he wants to return to his own land and people.

Undeterred, Moses makes an appeal that reaches Hobab, prompting him to reconsider. Moses points out that Hobab is needed. His knowledge of the wilderness is a valuable asset for both the present and the future.

Many people who quit the Lord’s church are like Hobab. The rewards and promises seem too far off to motivate them. However, if we can point out to them that they are useful and needed both today and tomorrow, we might be able to motivate them to come along.

Paul often draws a comparison between the church and a physical body and its individual members (Romans 12; I Corinthians 12), emphasizing that every member is essential for the church to function properly. While the contribution of one part may be different than another, it is in no way superior: they are all needed.

So, how do we make somebody feel needed? What if they say they can’t teach, or sing, or do anything else, for that matter? In Ephesians 4, Paul teaches that the whole body depends on what every joint supplies for growth and building up in love (Ephesians 4:16). As members of that body, we must do all that we can to promote growth and love. Is there anyone who can’t grow spiritually? Is there anyone who can’t attend services and contribute to somebody else’s spiritual growth? Is there anyone who can’t invite somebody and encourage the growth of the kingdom? Is there anybody who calls himself a Christian who can’t contribute love?

All of us are needed. We can all contribute to growth and love. And when we see those who want to quit, we need to remind them that they are needed.