It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
~Theodore Roosevelt, excerpted from the speech “Citizenship in a Republic” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910.
Rethinking Church Planting and Apostles
What I needed today brother, thanks so much.
If only we were so caught up in the will of God, that we had no time to judge the actions of others.
Great quote, Frank.
I’d rather be the man who tried and failed than the man who sat in the bleachers pointing his finger and being entertained.
Wow great stuff. Christ is the only reason I can even be in the arena. Somedays I don’t even know how he got me here. Like Paul says in Ephesians 6 when talking about the armor of God. Having done everything therefore stand, well Christ is the only thing that stands in me.
Wow…and Steve – LIKE LIKE LIKE!
And all that scorn, bashing and fuss is all because the man in the arena is pointing away from himself and pointing to Jesus Christ, the sign most spoken against. May we all join that man in the arena and point to Christ!
And the arena calls out: “Who will consistently live and stand for God? Who will turn from traditions to take the Kingdom of God?”
I needed to read this today. Thanks for sharing.
From the arena,
Jeff