As I look back over the course of my life (that extends for nearly seventy years), I have experienced many things – perhaps more than the average person. I have been truly blessed and fortunate enough to travel to nations and major cities on at least four of the seven continents of the earth, not to mention a few in the Caribbean Sea. Transportation wise, I have traveled in cars, buses, trains, planes, helicopters, on large ships, and a submarine. I have ridden on the backs of horses, a camel, as well as an elephant. In my days in the Army, I have trained in the desert, on a mountain, and in the frozen tundra of Alaska. For certain, I have had some insightful and fulfilling experiences in hobnobbing with Heads of State, a Nobel Laureate, scholars, and other people of great, renown, and notoriety.
However, one of the most impactful and constructive influences in my life has been Professor Fail. What is so absolutely amazing about this consummate and master teacher is that he does not discriminate and he is not a respecter of persons. He cannot be bribed, intimidated, nor does he give social or pity advancements. Professor Fail has retained many of his students who mistakenly thought that they deserved to pass his class and demanded that they take the course over, if they looked to be promoted. Perhaps, by now some have surmised that the person who I have identified as Professor Fail is an allegorical character to whom every person can relate.
Whether we understand or believe it or not, everyone who ever lived (except One) has sat in the class of Professor Fail and failed his course more than once. Philosophers, politicians, scientists, prophets, scholars, and every professional or non-professional person have been taught and learned much from the mistakes they made while sitting under the tutelage of this fabled teacher. Without any exception (other than One Person) all have failed certain lessons and tests that were given to them by Professor Fail. Great and renown men and women of the biblical narrative like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Deborah, Samuel, David, Solomon, and all the others whose lives are highlighted in both the Old and New Testaments failed and had to take both the courses and tests over and pass, if they were to be promoted to another level. People of science and research who made great discoveries and breakthroughs in their field like Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Madame Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Earnest E. Just, Jonas Salk, and all others first had to learn how to correct their mistakes in the class of Professor Fail before they could succeed. In the field of politics, men who we now honor, admire, and almost idolize like Washington, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, Churchill, Truman, and all the others made mistakes during their tenure and learned well in Professor Fail’s class how to correct their mistakes in order to succeed. The same can be said about great generals and military strategists throughout the history of warfare. Men like Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Douglas MacArthur, and all the others who won great battles had to fail before they could succeed. In the world of business and sports, the same principle and process of failing and making mistakes before ultimately experiencing a great breakthrough is the path that all have had to tread upon. We do not have to look any further than in our own backyard to give an example of what we are saying here. It took Hall of Fame Coach Jackie Hayes and the Dillon Wildcats football team quite a few years of failing and disappointing seasons of getting in the play-offs and to the state championship game a few times just to come up short. However, they got their breakthrough and won four consecutive state championships with a total of seven championships.
All of the examples that I have illustrated and alluded to of people who learned and ultimately experienced success and promotion after failing were presented to bring you to the crux of my argument and column today. All of us have experienced some degree of failure in Professor Fail’s class on life’s issues, except One Person whose name is Jesus Christ.
He is not only the valedictorian who graduated summa cum laude with a complete perfect score, but He is now the Only One who can guide and instruct us, through the Holy Spirit’s lead of how to live a truly fruitful and successful life.
The beginning of this life of abundance and eternal bliss begins with accepting Him as your Lord and Savior.
It is only through Him that our lives will have true significance and complete victory at the end.