Failing Up...

My sons and I met Tavis Smiley, my Kappa Alpha Psi fraturnity brother in Austin, 2001 for the MLK Celebration.

I kind of parted quietly with his views during the 2008 elections. He's still my frat brother, and is entitled to his opinions.

However, this story struck me as someone that does not give up. Kappa, as the intro alludes, was founded on a white college campus, during a time of segregation, discrimination and lynchings. We celebrate this year 100 years of existence (1911 - 2011). We succeeded because we did not quit.

Bishop Hilliard and Bishop TD Jakes started their successful ministries with a handful of faithful people. I've only named two, but many in the Body of Christ also had humble beginnings.

In our push button-microwave-junkfood-convenience society, we're not used to pursuing until success is reached; we think failure is personal and we misunderstand the phrase "failure is not an option"; it would better state "quitting is not an option."

Initial failure happens in the pursuit of anything. I prefer to think of failure as "feedback." Proverbs 24:16 says "For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief."

"Just" or "righteous" is from the word tsaddiyq (tsad dek), or "righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)."

And we were vindicated over 2000 years ago on a hill called Golgotha (place of the skull).

Don't quit.

Fail UP!

Amen!

Tavis Smiley Link: Fail Up web site