Love Doesn’t Make Excuses for Failure

Loved Like No Other

Part 2 – Love Doesn’t Make Excuses for Failure

Growing up my mom couldn’t and wouldn’t tolerate imperfection.  When she saw it in Jesse (my brother) and me, even as children, she had a phrase she would use to let us know.  We could have taken that phrase to heart and become what the dictionary defines it as.  We could have become average, normal, mediocre but instead, we used those words to fuel us to be the best, so much so we ourselves would not even tolerate making less than an A on a report card.  Yes, we became above average. Yes, even the best in our class.  We became victors and for that, we are thankful.

You see, I’ve learned, you have two types of people: those who fall victim to what people think of them and those who fall victor to what people think of them.
An excuse for your failures
You’ve seen those that fall victim more often than you’ve seen those that don’t.  Maybe you are the  victim.  You blame mom, dad, a cousin or the death of grandma for your life turning out the way that it did.  You haven’t achieved any of your dreams.  Maybe you didn’t complete that college degree.  Your family has become the excuse you use to make you feel better about not achieving your dream.  And you know what, you’re okay with that because you are “normal”.  This is normal behavior.  

There are so many of us who’ve decided not to chase our dreams because we’re too busy making an excuse for our failures.

The excuse for your successes
Now for the victor.  How many times have books been made, movies been recorded and stories been told about that one individual who against all odds came out on top?  Their stories are studied and envied.  You know why?  They’re not “normal”.  In fact, look up any successful person you admire and you’d find they didn’t make excuses for their failures, but rather their successes.  They refused to blame their parents for what they didn’t have.  Instead, they took those negative thoughts to drive them to create positive outcomes. Love turns an excuse to blame others for your failures into blaming others for your success.

The life you could have is on the other side of “ordinary”.
“My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”  These are the words of Gideon.  What happened to him, nothing that wasn’t “common”.  Someone told him his family was sorry and so was he.  He believed it and became a victim of those words.   Is this your story?

On the other side of “ordinary” for Gideon was a great warrior.  He became a mighty hero.  In Gideon all along, was an ability to be great, but “ordinary” stole it from him.  Is ordinary stealing greatness from you?

What would it take for you to see yourself as the victor rather than the victim?  Leave us a comment.