REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. - "Here lies the most perfect ruler of men the world has ever seen … and now he belongs to the ages."

This statement was made at the funeral of one of the world's great leaders. But of whom was the eulogist speaking? Was it Alexander the Great? Or Napoleon? Or Caesar Augustus? What about Louis XIV or Henry VIII? Perhaps it was Washington, Churchill or Franklin Roosevelt? Or some great military general like MacArthur or Patton or Robert E. Lee?

The correct answer is none of the above, although surely this man was a powerful and charismatic leader, someone who experienced a great deal of success throughout his life.

Let me share with you a little about his life.

At the age of 7, his family lost their home on a legal technicality, and he was forced to quit school and go to work to provide financial support.

When he was 9, and a shy and backward little boy, his mother died.

At the age of 22, he lost his job as a store clerk. He thought he would go to law school, but more than a dozen schools rejected him due to his lack of formal education.

At 23, he went heavily into debt to start a business with a friend. The friend had all the expertise, while he put up all the money. Unfortunately, the partner died, and it took him years to repay the debt.

At age 28, a four-year romantic relationship with a young lady ended suddenly and tragically for him when he proposed marriage and she refused.

At 37, on his third try, he was finally elected to Congress. However, a bid for reelection failed two years later and he suffered a nervous breakdown.

At 41, an already unhappy marriage took a turn for the worst when his happy 4-year-old son died.

At 42, he was rejected for the cabinet post of Lord Officer.

At 45, he ran for the U.S. Senate and lost.

At 47, he ran for vice president of the United States and lost.

At 49, he ran for the Senate again and lost.

But at the age of 51, he ran for president of the United States AND WON.

However, half the country decided it could not follow Abraham Lincoln's leadership and a bitter civil war ensued. Then, on the verge of final victory, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. His was a truly tragic life in many ways, yet he is regarded by many as our greatest president. And it was his Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, one of Lincoln's chief critics, who spoke those eloquent words of tribute I quoted at the beginning of this column.

Great accomplishments are often attempted, but only occasionally reached. What is interesting (and encouraging) is that those who reach them are often those who have missed many times before. Failures, I believe, are only temporary tests to prepare us for permanent triumphs. And the person who succeeds is not the one who holds back fearing failure, nor the one who never fails, but rather the one who moves on in spite of failure.

God's word provides many examples of people who persevered through initial failure. Joshua, the commander in chief of the Israeli army, suffered a devastating defeat at the battle of Ai. Instead of sulking, he picked up the pieces and resolved the problem. Within a short time, he had conquered all the land that God had promised to Israel. The apostle Peter initially cowered in fear and even denied the very Son of God. But he became a founder of the Church because he refused to live in the shadow of his bad track record. And the Gentiles heard about Jesus Christ because Paul and a few companions kept getting back up after being knocked down.
Paul probably expressed it best in Philippines 3:13-14, "Forgetting what lies behind I strain forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal."

Paul was right. No matter what's happened in the past, sitting there licking your wounds will only result in a bitter aftertaste. Get up and get on with it!

The great Vince Lombardi molded together one of the most successful professional football teams ever assembled, the Green Bay Packers, in the 1960s. Many of his players became very successful in their own right after their playing days; in fact, more than a dozen players became millionaires through business ventures.

Recently, one of them recalled Lombardi's insights about success. The coach told his players, "Success is getting up every time after the fall."

If you've "fallen" recently, let Abraham Lincoln be an inspiration to you. And as Paul said, "… press on to the goal."