Tom Barnard

“For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again….”

Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)

Many of inventor Thomas Edison’s quotes have found their way into print and into motivational speeches delivered by speakers everywhere. Here are two of my favorites:

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize

how close they were to success when they gave up.”

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work!”

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 doing them 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 incandescent light bulbs, he experimented with hundreds of fibers and metals. In 1879 he discovered a method for making an inexpensive filament that would 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 within 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 a vacuum within the 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, “Stay down. You won’t be missed.” Or, “You deserve better than this.”

It’s the Other Voice that you want to hear. That Voice says “Let me help you with that.” “I have been there before, and I know you can make it.” “My strength is sufficient for you.” “I will never leave you or forsake you.” “Together we can become strong.” Or, “Take my hand.”

God wants to honor us for our achievements, not punish us for our falls. He is committed to be our companion, our counselor, our advisor, our helper, our friend. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Heavenly Father, sometimes I feel that it would be easier to accept failure than to continue pushing for success. Then I see the Cross, and I realize again the price that 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 to understand he wants to stand beside me, live within me, lift and boost me as I obey his word. In his strong name I pray. Amen.