Can You Compete with Free?

Transcript

A chemist named Spencer Silver created an adhesive with a problem: It was sticky, but not strong. Experts told Silver his glue was useless. Then a coworker named Art Fry had an idea for Silver's weak adhesive: scratch paper!

"No," his bosses said. "It's pointless to compete with free scratch paper."

After years of setbacks, Silver and Fry turned mere scratch paper into Post-it® Notes. Now, his "useless" invention is used worldwide.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Silver's success had a lot to do with the internal adhesive that helps a person stick to his or her dreams. Through misfires and defeats, Silver persisted—and persistence pays off in the high calling of our daily work.

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

(Heb. 6:7-8)