“I am on the edge of losing it -the pain in my gut keeps burning. I’m ready to tell my story of failure . . . (Psalms 38: 17, 18a, MSG)

Grade 1 was far better than Kindergarten in terms of understanding that strange language they all called “Dutch”, still I didn’t understand everything. Though I did my best and even ended up with a passing grade, my teacher insisted on meeting with my mom and dad to recommend that I repeat my year.

I was devastated. I had worked so hard, I had passed all my tests, yet even so, I was considered a failure. I was horrified that my parents actually agreed with my teacher. Can you imagine failing grade 1? How embarrassing!

Unfortunately, my grades didn’t improve in my second year in grade 1. I was petrified that my teacher would insist on me repeating my year yet again. When would it end? I could already imagine a fifty year old still in grade 1. Horror of horrors! This time, however, the teacher did not say anything, and I was somehow promoted to grade 2. Hurray!

A few months later, a medical doctor came to my school to check the health and eyesight of all grade 2 students. He discovered that I was extremely nearsighted. One eye hardly saw anything, the other eye was so weak that there was no way I could read anything written on the blackboard. Only then did everyone finally realize why I was so weak in academics. It wasn’t because I was stupid; I simply didn’t do well in school because I couldn’t see properly!

A week later, I came to school with my first pair of coke bottles. The lenses were heavy, but at least I could see; and imagine everyone’s surprise when I suddenly began excelling in school.

After I got my first pair of glasses, I remembered back to the day my dad brought home a black and white television set. I had my own plastic chair, and I placed it within a meter of the TV. My parents insisted that I should sit 5 meters from the TV. I remember not being able to see anything, and soon after that, I gave up on TV completely. Boring!

The day I received my first pair of glasses changed my life completely. From being a pauper, I was promoted to the world of the living. I felt like royalty. I could see. I could really see! I was fascinated by the colorful world I lived in, and I wanted to learn anything and everything about it. No longer was I a failure, and all because a doctor took the time to check the health of grade 2 students. He certainly changed my life. He was the only one who really understood what I was going through. I owe my life to that doctor. Thank you, thank you. Instead of being put down all the time, I finally had a new chance at life.

No matter where you are, God comes through for you as well. You are no failure. God created you for way more than you may think. After all, if He was willing to die for you, He truly has plans for you to experience victory: “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had built plans for you . . . (Jer 1: 5a, MSG)

With such a caring Heavenly Father, we can now say: “And me? I plan on looking you full in the face. When I get up, I’ll see your full stature and live heaven on earth.” (Psalms 17:15, MSG)

By the way, do you need a pair of glasses?

Rob Chaffart


(To access the entire “Dragon Tramps or Kingdom Heirs” devotional series, please click here.)