Scripture & Thought
Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)
“For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…”
Last Sunday, I referenced a sermon by Tony Campolo, “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Comin’!” We all have “Fridays” that we would like to forget, but not the Friday before Easter! And it doesn’t need to stop there. Why? Because “Sunday’s Comin’!”
Many of inventor Thomas Edison’s quotes have found their way into print and into motivational speeches delivered by speakers everywhere. Here is one of my favorites:
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
Someone once said, “Falling down doesn’t make you a failure, but failing to get up does.” Thomas Edison was a man who saw many of his experiments fail, but he continued trying new ones anyway. He knew that it was better to get up than to give up. He was committed to excellence. In his search for a filament for his new invention that would eventually be called the incandescent light bulb, he experimented with hundreds of fibers and metals. In 1879 he discovered a method of making an inexpensive filament that could handle the stress of electric current. Today we call his discovery “Carbonized Cotton Fiber.” Thread!
But the filament was so fragile that it easily broke in an open-air environment. Almost by accident, he tried inserting the filament in an oxygen-free tube. To his surprise, the filament glowed! It didn’t burn long, but it burned! Eventually he and his helpers discovered that the secret was in creating vacuum within a glass bulb, and using a tungsten filament.
In the life of the Christian, we face many trips, tumbles, errors and failures. The “voice” that visits us in those moments is not the voice of the Father, but of the adversary. He doesn’t say, “Nice try.” He shouts, “FAILURE!” He asserts, “You can’t live this Christian life.” Or, “You were better off before you started on this ill-fated journey.” Or, “You deserve better than this.” Or the most common assertion, “Where is God when you need Him?”
It’s the Other Voice that you want to hear: That Voice says, “Let me help you with that.” Or, “I have been there before, and I know you can make it.” Or, “My strength is sufficient for you.” Or, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Or, “Together we can accomplish something important.”
God wants to honor us for our achievements, not punish us for our failures. He is committed to be our companion, our counselor, our advisor, our helper, our friend. It doesn’t get any better than that!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, sometimes I feel that it would be easier to accept failure than to continue pushing for excellence. Then I see the Cross, and I realize again the price you paid to make me your child. Help me stay the course. Let me see the crowd of witnesses that line my pathway, encouraging me. Most of all, let me see Jesus! Let me see His eyes. Let me feel His hands reaching out to steady me. Help me understand He wants to stand beside me, live within me, lift and boost me as obey His word. In His strong name I pray.
Amen.