Failure

Have you ever failed at something? Painfully I watched one of our boys fail last night. He tried his absolute best but in the end he just did not perform. When he walked up to me afterwards I told him he did his best. I sought to build him up and let him know that I love him when he succeeds as well as when he fails. More importantly I wanted him to know that even though he failed that does not mean he is a failure.

We all fail. I feel that I have spent most of my life failing. I failed as an athlete. I have also failed as a youth pastor, evangelist, pastor, and an author. At least failure according to the world's standards. I did not get a division one football scholarship. I was not an All State or All American athlete. I have never served in a church with more than 300 in attendance. I have never written a best selling book. I cannot even say I have written a book that sold 10,000 copies much less 1 million.

Who determines failure. In an athletic competition winners and losers can be determined by the score at the end of the game or match or who finishes first at the end of the race. If a person does not come out on top does that mean they are a failure? If the businessman does not lead a Fortune 500 company but operates a modest business that provides for his family does that mean he is a failure?

If a man cannot provide a 3,000 square foot brand new home for his wife along with with a brand new luxury car does that make him a failure? If the father and mother cannot give their kids everything they want does that make them a failure? If the pastor prays his heart out, preaches with all his might trusting God for results, but never sees the church grow into a mega church did he fail? What about the young man or woman in high school who labor just to make the grades to pass. They never get any awards and they will not go to college. They work hard and will never have a job where they make lots of money. They will always work hard with their hands but does that mean they failed? What about the young man or young woman who stay late after practices to put in extra work, they run hard, lift hard, play hard but they will never be a state champion and they will not be a division one athlete. Did they fail?

Reason with me. We would all agree that certain people have been blessed with exceptional intellectual powers. These people excel in academic realms. We do not think of a person with average intellectual ability compared to a genius as a failure. We know there are certain individuals who have been blessed with rare athletic ability. We do not think of the local high school athlete running at a track meet as a failure compared to an olympic runner who breaks the world record.

Some people who have to win at all costs and achieve a measure of success in their professional lives are utter failures in their personal lives. They are immoral, alcoholics, drug addicts, and adulterers. Are these people really the true measure of success or do they fail?

It seems to me we need to reevaluate how we measure success. There are good people, no great people, hard working salt of the earth kind of people, who may be a great success in God's eyes but look like an utter failure to the world. There are women who do not look life fashion models to the world but are the apple of their husband's eyes and the pride and joy of their children. They live in relative obscurity but does that mean they are a failure? Their are children who never get recognized at an award ceremony but they are kind to other children and seek to be obedient to God, their parents, and others in authority over them. Aren't they a success in God's eyes and in their parent's eyes?

According to the world Jesus and Paul were failures. I think history has told a different story. Their lives are still impacting millions of people. Today I salute all the people who make society work but that have bought into the lie that they are a failure. I salute school teachers who come in early to tutor because they care about students. I salute the coaches who go the extra mile to guide and support those athletes who are in danger of falling through the cracks both on and off the field. I salute the small town ministers who love, give, and serve in small congregations most people have never heard of and live on a shoe string budget.

I salute the hard working house wives who labor endlessly to make a good home for their families. They cook and clean and serve. I also salute those working wives who put in a full day worth of work and still come home to cook and clean and serve. I salute single mothers who work hard to provide for her children and give them the best life possible even though exhausted and in constant stress.

I salute hard working husbands who come home dirty and tired after doing an honest day worth of work exhausted but still make time for the kids. I salute the owners of the small town cafes who cook more than just a recipe but cook with their hearts because they love their customers. I salute farmers that plow the fields and pray their hearts out for rain year after year. They work in the dirt and know more about faith and perseverance than many preachers. I salute ranchers who raise the beef we enjoy at dinner battling drought, disease, as well as oppressive heat and the bitter cold.

To all of these people and more you are successes. You add value to other people's lives. You are not a failure. Faithfulness is not failure. Finishing your course in life is not failure. Working with excellence at your craft is not failure. Be encouraged O faithful ones. God is glorified by your faithful labor and service.