MAY 18, 2 Corinthians 4:8

David’s mom came into his room to check on his homework. “How’s your report coming along?” she asked.“ Its not coming along well,” grumbled David, “and I don’t want to do it anyway.”

“You sound upset, David. Are you still fretting about yesterday?” asked Mom. David’s eyes got misty. “I wanted so badly to be the class reporter for the school paper,” he said. “And what did Mrs. Lim say? ‘You have a good imagination, but you don’t check facts. A reporter must be accurate. Work on it, David. Maybe you can be a reporter next year.’”

“I know you’re disappointed, David, but don’t give up,” encouraged Mom. “Now–what school report are you working on?”

“I have to write about some famous person,” David muttered. “It can be anybody.”

David’s mother pulled out some books. “Try writing about a famous American president like Abraham Lincoln – he was a Christian too!” she suggested. “I think he’ll be a real help to you!” Then she left to fold clothes.

When his mother returned, David looked up. “I can’t believe it, Mom,” he said. “Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents in the US, but this book says he lost several important political races and even failed in business!”

“That’s right.” Mom nodded. “But he’s remembered for his successes, not for his failures. Often it’s easy to give up when we fail, but that doesn’t help us grow. It’s not what God would have us do, either. He wants us to learn from our experiences and try harder the next time. We must learn to depend on Him to help us turn failure into success.”

David gave his mom a big hug. “Thanks, Mom,” he said. “I see what you’ve been trying to tell me. I won’t give up. I’ll make this report so accurate that even Mrs. Lim would be proud of it.”

Thought: What happens when you fail at something? Do you give up and quit trying? Don’t get discouraged. Learn from your mistakes and realise that it takes time to learn to do things well. Depend on God to help you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the lesson today. I have not done well in certain things, sometimes in my studies, sometimes in other duties. Help me to learn that even when I fail, I must pick myself up and try even harder! Help me to be prayerful and depend on You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.