Stubbornness

Stubbornness is defined as “dogged determination not to change one’s attitude or position on something.”

Other words associated with stubbornness are: obstinate, unreasonable, unmoving, difficult, hard, stiff, fixed, and set. When I hear these terms I think of boulders — unmoving and unmovable — not alive. Things that are alive move. Things that are don’t move or can’t on their own.

Stubbornness seems to have reached epidemic proportions in America. I can’t recall a time when there was so much stubbornness over so many things. Frankly, it’s extremely frustrating and exhausting. And when I encounter stubbornness, I don’t have many nice thoughts about the person being stubborn. The whole love my neighbor thing certainly gets put to the test when I encounter someone who is stubborn. That’s why Jesus’ call to discipleship is costly. It’s not the easy people Jesus was talking about — but rather the one’s we know we are going to struggle with.

Scripture has a good amount to say concerning stubbornness. This actually helps. It tells me that there has always been stubbornness — willful stubbornness. And yet, the Gospel persisted anyway, stubbornly. When I think of the stubbornness throughout history, I am relieved to remember that it isn’t new and that there will be more stubbornness after I am gone. Scripture also reminds me of how I am to deal with someone who is stubborn. Scripture also reminds me of how God deals with stubbornness too. When I read how God deals with it, I have to laugh — apparently God gets frustrated with stubbornness…