Kids' Success Depends on Grit

I mentioned this TED Talk by Dr. Angela Duckworth in my sermon on Sunday.  In it, she explained the main characteristic of success among kids she studied:  Grit.  The biblical word for that is perseverance or endurance or steadfastness.  It's that quality of Grit that leads to proven character.  Consider...

"Perseverance leads to proven character..." (Romans 5.3-5)

"Let steadfastness have its perfect effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1.2-4)

"[supplement] to your steadfastness, godliness..." (2 Peter 1.5-8)

You see the connection?  Godly character is formed by Grit.  Of course, you find out how much Grit you have by walking through tough times.  Sometimes we rescue our kids too quickly from those.

Somebody somewhere described the future as the amplification of your character.  I'm not 100% sure that's 100% accurate, but there's enough truth in it to pay attention.  If that's even mostly true (which I agree that it is), then character development is like oxygen to a drowning man - desperately needed.  For us.  For our kids too.

Enjoy these 6 1/2 minutes of goodness...