Lessons From a Fictional Uncle

Sometimes the best lessons are those learned at the School of Hard Knocks. Of those hard lessons our favourites are the ones we learn second hand. Such are the examples of my fictional Great Uncle Floyd.

Through his hard experiences I have come to appreciate the value of patient persistence. He is known by the title “Great Uncle Floyd the Almost Inventor.” If he had only persisted Great Uncle Floyd would be world renowned. He had many ‘almost inventions’ but stopped before success. He created WD- 1 through 39 before he left the lab to his now wealthy assistant. He invented cleansers Formula 1 through 408 and stopped. Formula 409 went on to make millions. He wrote a script for “100 Dalmatians”.

You get the idea. Great Uncle Floyd stopped just short of success. Each failure brought him that much closer to his goal had he only persisted.

Too often we can be tempted like Floyd to look at our failures solely as failures and not the pathway to the ultimate achievement.

The scriptures are replete with examples of colossal failures. The shorn Sampson, Peter weeping outside while Jesus was scourged or Peter sinking beneath the storm-tossed waves, Moses as he struck down the Egyptian, slippery Jacob as he conned his way through life, Abraham as he lied about his marriage to Sarah, Noah in his drunkenness, these all were pictures of humiliating failure. Yet each  persisted! Each failed forward. Though each failed they were not failures like Uncle Floyd.

I am determined to follow their example and avoid the fate of Uncle Floyd. Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit. God produces this fruit in the lives of the willing. We each have a bit of Floyd in us but through faith we can persist and become more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

There have been many times over the last few years when I was ready to ‘admit defeat.’ Had I done so we would not be celebrating our first Christmas as Christian Community at Threshold House. Persistence and patience combined with much prayer works. God is Good!

Thank you to all who walk this journey with me. Better days lie ahead for those who endure.

A blessed and merry Christmas to you all.