Good morning. In my recent reading I saw a reference to the Portuguese concept of garra. What I was reading didn’t explain what this reference meant, so I did a little investigating and found it to be interesting. The word garra is best translated as “claws.” But as I mentioned, this is not so much about a single word as it is about a cultural concept.
When the Portuguese use the word garra, the concept they are relating is one of supreme stubbornness. What it refers to is someone who is willing to hang in there and not give up, even when giving up and moving on would seem like the logical thing to do. Garra is at once considered unreasonable but also quite admirable. That person of whom it is said that they display garra has “claws.” It means that they are willing to hang in there no matter what and see things through to the end.
This idea of claws, of garra, that stubborn determination to never give up, is what Jesus speaks of in Matthew 24:4-13 as He tells us about the end times: Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
If you feel persecuted for your faith, if it seems as though the going is getting tougher, please try and remember the concept of garra. Hang in there, with claws scratching and holding on. For the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Vern