Date: June 18, 2023
Eli and Samuel
The Point: Don’t let past mistakes prevent you from being an effective mentor.
Get Into the Study
Use the following before or after Question #1.
There are lots of clichés expressing the potential value in failure, or at least the temporary nature of our failures. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” “Failure doesn’t have to be fatal.”
Launched in Sweden in 2017, the “Museum of Failure” was on display at Industry City in Brooklyn, New York until mid-May of 2023. The museum is a traveling exhibition organized by clinical psychologist, Samuel West, and is intended to normalize failure and encourage viewers to embrace failure as a necessary part of growth and innovation.
The Museum of Failure displays 150 commercial ideas that flopped for one reason or another. According to an article in Smithsonian Magazine, the exhibition “aims to stimulate discussion about accepting and learning from failure.” Some of the failed products on display include New Coke, Limeade-flavored Oreo cookies, Crystal Pepsi, and the “hula” exercise chair. In an interview with CBS News, West said that “one of the big obstacles to innovation is the fear of failure.” It is his goal to demonstrate that successful companies have not allowed failure to stop them, but only to push them toward greater creativity. For example, the Oreo website currently advertises eleven different flavors, not including some of their seasonal options. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo may have suffered a bit of embarrassment when their “new” flavors turned out to be anything but improved, but according to the Smithsonian article, both companies are still thriving.
Failure in the life of a believer is also an opportunity to learn and grow. God uses our failures to teach us and, when there is repentance, He builds character and restores us so that we are stronger than before.
https://thefailuremuseum.com/new-york/
https://www.oreo.com/oreo-cookies/oreo-flavors
Get Into the Study [Option from Adult Leader Guide, p. 41]
Play this video showing someone who learned a lesson the hard way. Then ask Question #1.
Study the Bible
Use the following after discussing Question #2.
The term “influencer” has been around for a long time, but it has only come to describe a career in the last couple of decades. With the evolution of social media and its connection to marketing, individuals who garner a significant following on platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok can earn a sizable income as an “influencer.” With this increase in exposure to “influencers,” more and more children and adults are routinely receiving advice from the internet, perhaps even more so than from people they know personally.
In the specific area of finances, a survey commissioned by Forbes Advisor found that “79% of Americans representing the millennial or Gen Z age groups have gotten financial advice from social media.” The website influencermarketing.com defines a social media influencer this way: “people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred social media channels and generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their views. Brands love social media influencers because they can create trends and encourage their followers to buy products they promote.” Due to the “expertise” of the influencers, it stands to reason that their advice is respected beyond the financial arena.
Sophisticated search engines and sites like WebMD have made it easier to seek advice from the internet than from a trusted friend, family member, or personal service provider such as a physician, banker, or minister. This trend also removes any accountability for making wise decisions.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/financial-advisor/adults-financial-advice-social-media/
Melinda Wallace lives in Shreveport, Louisiana with her husband Stan. They have two grown children,. Her passion is leveraging her love of language to exalt Jesus and invite others to enjoy Him as He is revealed by the Holy Spirit through Scripture.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- What important life lesson have you learned through failure?
- Whose voice would you recognize a mile away?
- What was your last “uh-oh” moment, where something in daily life didn’t go like you were hoping?
- What is a lesson you have learned through failure?
- How do you discern the voice of God speaking to you?
1 Samuel 2:22-26
- When have you regretted ignoring wise counsel?
- What truths about God can help us move forward after a big disappointment or failure in our lives?
- Where do many people in our culture turn for advice?
- How can we respond when someone isn’t listening to our advice?
1 Samuel 3:7-10
- What are some ways you’ve heard God speak?
- When has someone else helped bring clarity to what God was communicating to you?
- What distinguishes God from other voices competing for your attention?
- How have others helped you discern God’s voice?
- What are some obstacles to hearing God’s voice?
1 Samuel 3:15-18
- How does our obedience ensure God’s continual guidance?
- How can believers help others be receptive to hearing God’s word, especially if its painful to hear?
- How can we follow Samuel’s example in sharing God’s Word regardless of consequences?
- Why do hearing from God and obedience to God go hand in hand?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Looking for a Sound Investment? Start Here
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
NOTE: We’re having a technical glitch with this podcast.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
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