When We Succeed or Fail

1When our best is not enough

Imagine that Ben has worked hard on a model bridge. He carefully joins the pieces and hopes it will hold more weight than the other bridges. When it is tested, one of the joints breaks. His bridge collapses, and a few boys laugh.

Ben looks at the broken pieces and thinks, “I can’t do anything right. I’m useless.”

?What happened to Ben’s bridge? What is he beginning to believe about himself? Are those the same thing?

We can feel disappointed when something goes wrong. But sometimes we let one result tell us what we are worth. We think that being the best makes us important, or that failing means we do not matter.

In our first lesson, we learned that Jesus gives those who trust Him a place in God’s family. Today we will consider why every person deserves to be valued and why we cannot earn God’s grace through our achievements.

2Made in the image of God

READ GENESIS 1:26–28

Keep the passage open as you discuss it.

God made human beings in His image. He made us to represent Him in His world and gave us responsibility to care for His creation. We depend on Him for our life and purpose.

Notice that God did not hold a competition to decide which people would bear His image. He created both male and female in His image. Our dignity—the value and respect we have as human beings—comes from our Creator.

A person who learns quickly and a person who needs more help both bear God’s image. Different abilities do not give people different amounts of human worth. That is true of Ben, and it is true of the boys who laughed at him.

?According to this passage, where does our dignity come from? How should that affect the way we treat someone who struggles with something?

3Loved while we were sinners

READ ROMANS 5:6–8

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Being made in God’s image does not mean that everything we do is good. Every one of us has sinned. We disobey God in our thoughts, words, and actions. We need more than encouragement when we feel bad about ourselves. We need forgiveness and a Savior.

Paul describes the people Christ died for as weak, ungodly, and sinners. They could not rescue themselves. They had not earned God’s love by being impressive or successful.

Jesus, God’s Son, lived without sin. He died on the cross for sinners and rose from the dead. His sacrifice shows God’s love and grace toward people who could never deserve His rescue.

We cannot use a good report card, a trophy, or even good behavior to pay for forgiveness. God calls us to turn from sin and trust Jesus. We receive salvation through faith in Him. Grace is God’s kindness that we have not earned.

?What were the people Christ died for like? What does that tell us about the idea that we have to earn God’s love?

4A mistake and a sin

Think again about Ben’s bridge. A project that does not work, a wrong answer, or a missed goal is not automatically a sin. Ben may need help understanding what went wrong. He can learn, practice, and try again.

But suppose Ben knows that his own work caused the bridge to break and deliberately blames another boy. That is a lie. Ben needs to admit what he has done, ask God for forgiveness, and tell the truth to the person he blamed.

Sin is serious, and it can bring consequences. Yet admitting sin does not mean saying, “I am worthless.” We confess because we have done wrong and need God’s mercy. Jesus is the Savior we can turn to.

?What is different about Ben’s bridge breaking and Ben deliberately lying? What kind of response is needed in each situation?

5Working to honor God

READ COLOSSIANS 3:23

Paul taught Christian servants to work wholeheartedly for the Lord. Their work mattered to God even when the people over them did not appreciate it.

Those who belong to Christ can approach their responsibilities in the same spirit. We can study, practice, help at home, and work honestly because we want to honor Him. We do not have to be better than everyone else to do something worthwhile.

Success gives us a reason to thank God for the abilities, help, and opportunities He has given us. It does not give us permission to look down on others. When we fail, we can receive help and keep learning without treating the result as a measure of our value.

God’s grace gives believers a reason to obey Him. Good works are our response to His kindness; they cannot buy His acceptance.

?How could Ben honor God while rebuilding his bridge? How could the boy with the strongest bridge honor God?

6Remembering what God says

When you are disappointed, be honest about what happened. “My bridge broke” is different from “I am useless.” Ask for help, learn what you can, and remember that God made you in His image.

When you have sinned, tell the truth about it and turn to Jesus for mercy. A better performance cannot erase your sin. He is the Savior you need.

When someone else struggles, remember that he bears God’s image too. Encourage him, offer help, and treat him with respect. You do not need to make someone else feel small to make yourself important.

?What could you say to Ben that is both truthful and encouraging? What could you do to help him?

Personal response: This week, notice how you respond when you succeed or struggle. Thank God for His gifts, ask for help when you need it, and look for someone you can encourage.