It depends….
For a righteous man may fall seven times, and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity. Proverbs 24:16
There’s a story about a ceramics teacher who divided his class into two groups. One group would be graded on the quantity of their work. They were to make as many pots as possible.
The other group would be graded on the quality of their work. They were to make as perfect a pot as possible. When the day came to grade the students, the professor was amazed to discover that the group being graded for quantity also had the best quality. The group churning out the most vessels made the finest pieces.
The reason? They were learning from their mistakes, so their work was constantly improving. The “quality” group spent all their time working on a single pot, but without the benefit of failures, mistakes, or experience.
BOTTOM LINE:
Simply profound! Think of all your unique applications where this, may I say the “opportunity to fail”, could be be applied to enhance your future transitioning. Not to mention, as for all the others in your sphere of influence anxiously awaiting and preparing for life’s transitions; simply the opportunity to fail in the arms or under the watch of an attentive loving community. BUT, be invitational, just as we’ve been invited by the Master. Don’t be afraid to fail, or allow others to fail. Key word for the “watchful involved mentor” in Proverbs 24:16 is “godly”. If otherwise, wisdom dictates establishing incremental boundaries, opening upon proof of performance, with ample interactive communication as skills are perfected. Proverbs 24:16 (NLT) says, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.” So if you’ve made a mistake or encountered a failure, don’t stay down. Failure is often the back door to success.
NEXT UP:
Thinking it only fitting on so many fronts, that I not post Sat eve or Sun AM. Rather, perhaps we ought to be preparing ourselves for corporate worship, free of any unnecessary distractions.
David Bayles and Ted Orand, Art and Fear (Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1993), 29.