Friends who've been around me have heard me say that I don't trust anyone who has never failed. I may admire someone who is succeeding: a flash in the pan, a shooting star, a celebrity in their own lunch-time. But I won't trust them. They may be talented, resourceful, rich, and charming, but I still won't trust them. At least not yet; not until I see some scars.
I want to see what they do and who they are after they've gone through suffering, failure, delays, setbacks, divorce, business failure, been put out, fired, rejected, and have had at least one humiliating public embarrassment. Did it destroy them?
If they survived it, that's my kind of guy or gal. They now have credentials.
If they went through the fire and still held on to their beliefs, then they may have something worth examining. Maybe they are an Abraham Lincoln or a Harlan Sanders or a J.K. Rowling. None of them succeeded their first try.
In the Bible, the characters who made the biggest impact were those allowed to wallow in defeat before being honored. David was chased by Saul. Joseph locked in prison. Paul, who wrote most of the Scriptures we treasure, was locked up in cold Roman prisons. Joseph was put in a pit and sold as a slave; falsely accused and imprisoned. But he became the steward of Egypt's wealth and saved the nation and his own family from famine. Paul was locked away awaiting trial but he used the time to write letters to various cities where he had begun churches, preserving a treasure that we rely on today.
I have a theory about beliefs. A truth we claim to believe is mostly an opinion; something casual, untested. It's not really a conviction until we keep believing it while we pass through the fire.
Most people live under delusions. I may think that I'm young, fast, and flexible. But age and aches have disillusioned me of that falsehood. Likewise, a person may think they are smart, good-looking, and certain to catch the boss' eye for a promotion. But reality can pop that bubble quite suddenly.
I think it's sad when anyone lives their life chasing a mirage only to see it as an illusion. I would rather live based on reality. It is better to be grounded, don't you think? If you consider the meaning of the word "disillusioned," it can be a good thing to experience--the sooner the better. To be disillusioned means you are now delivered from the deceit of being tricked. You were basing your choices on a lie, but now you see the truth.
A preacher went calling in the country. He walked up to the porch where a boy sat watching some newborn puppies. He stopped to talk to the boy.
"My, what cute puppies you have. They are so small. Why their eyes are not open yet. What kind are they, son?"
The little boy looked up at the preacher's suit, saw the Bible tucked under his arm, and gave the best answer he could think of. "They're Baptist," he answered.
The pastor beamed with pride and went in the house.
Two weeks later, he stopped by again. Once more the boy was beside the front steps. He wanted to hear the boy brag on his Baptist puppies.
"Son, what did you say those puppies were?" he asked.
The boy looked down at the puppies, wrinkled his brow, and answered, "They're Methodist."
"But, you said they were Baptist!"
"I know, preacher, but now their eyes are open."
RON WOOD IS A WRITER, MINISTER AND TEACHER. EMAIL HIM AT [email protected] OR VISIT WWW.TOUCHEDBYGRACE.ORG. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.
Editorial on 03/15/2017