The freedom to fail and the opportunity to succeed

I don’t remember the man’s name but I remember what he did. He had a white boat with red seats and he had a boatload of patience. I was an eight year old boy that had never even seen a ski when this man took it upon himself to teach me. First, get the skis on and then hold on the rope. Sounds easy enough, right? Ouch! The boat pulled that handle right out of this skinny boy’s hands! The man circled the boat around and tried again. And again. And again. And again. Maybe ½ day later, perhaps only an hour, I finally got up and fell in love the sport. By the time I left home for Auburn University, I was skiing sunrise to well past sunset – trick skis, slalom, occasionally barefoot. I don’t remember that man’s name but I do remember that on that day he gave me freedom to fail and the opportunity to succeed.

Where can you do the same?

·        In your business
Delegate patiently and with constant encouragement. Give your co-workers the tools they need and the opportunities to use them and watch them grow.

·        In your family
Give your wife, your husband and your children the freedom to try new things. When the kids start walking, did they immediately run? Of course not! The fell, ran into things and looked just plain clumsy at times. Still we cheer them on as if they had won the Olympic marathon.

They need the same thing spiritually, academically and with chores. I spoke with a man recently that wouldn’t let his small child pray with the family until the child learned how to pray “right.” How sad! After 34 years as a Christian, I am certain that my prayers are rarely if ever completely “right” in my motives yet I read in Psalm 116 that God hears my voice and my please for mercy. Give your children freedom to fail there also. God does!

Let them learn some chores. No, they won’t get the dishes perfectly clean the first time and maybe not the tenth but they’ll get it eventually and in the meantime, just wipe the crumbs off with your sleeve. Let them make up those beds, straighten up that room and stuff everything under the bed for good measure. They’ll learn eventually and in the meantime, you get some help around the house – sort of.
 
·        In your church
God has given to each person spiritual gifts, passions and talents. If you keep everything on your shoulders, you are depriving them of the opportunity to minister and live as God has designed them. That’s partly why we periodically give interns the opportunity to preach at Grace Community Church. We know they are not seasoned preachers but how will they learn if we don’t give them opportunity? Besides, if God can use my preaching, he can use anyone’s!

 ·      In the school
Teachers and coaches, give the kid the freedom to fail and the opportunity to succeed. They might need several opportunities but you get to be a part of that! You give them freedom, confidence, patient instruction and watch what happens!

Regarding academics, don’t tell anyone, but I failed Algebra in the 9^th grade. Not my proudest moment. And I couldn’t even tell you where it wrong because I didn’t understand a single one of those x’s or y’s! It was silly stuff and besides, there was a herd of black and white cattle outside the window that were a lot more interesting than Mr. ____. But two years later I was in the National Math Honor Society and had college scholarships because of it. I remember the teacher that had reams of patience and kept teaching until the light went on in the math side of my brain. Thanks Ray Kelly for persistently giving students the freedom to fail and opportunities to succeed.

Because of God’s grace, you have the freedom to try, to fail and to get up and go for it again.