Try and Learn
About 14 minutes, plus hands-on activity and discussion.
Think about it
Have you ever tried something new and it didn’t turn out the way you hoped? Maybe your cake fell flat, your block tower tipped over, or you forgot some of your lines in a play. Those moments aren’t failures, they’re learning opportunities. Every time we try something new, we have an opportunity to learn something new. The more we try, the more we learn. In this lesson, we’ll learn about 8 people who kept trying, testing, and learning, even when things didn’t go their way at first. Their stories will show us how every setback can become a step towards success.
Let’s Learn
From “Oops” to “Aha!”
Each “oops” is a learning opportunity—a chance to test, adjust, and grow. That’s what inventors, entrepreneurs, and leaders do every single day. They try, test, learn, and keep moving forward.
Sometimes an idea sounds great, but after many tries, it just doesn’t work the way you hoped. In those moments, it’s okay to pause, learn what you can, and then move on to a new idea. Other times, you may just need to keep tweaking and improving until you finally discover what works.
If we don’t try, we don’t learn. Even when things don’t work out, we discover what doesn’t work. Knowing what doesn’t work helps us discover what does work.
Through it all, remember to pray and ask God for wisdom. He can help you know whether to keep going, make changes, or start something new.
Real-Life Entrepreneur Stories
Thomas Edison (Light Bulb)
Thomas Edison is best known for inventing the light bulb, but it didn’t work the first time he tried, or even the 100th time. In fact, he tested thousands of different materials before finding the right one. Instead of calling them failures, he said, “I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” His persistence shows us that every time we try, we can learn something new.
George Liele (Missionary to Jamaica)
Born into slavery in Virginia, George Liele became a Christian and later the first ordained Black Baptist preacher in America. He gained freedom and in 1782 left for Jamaica as a missionary. Liele started churches, preached to enslaved people, and is now recognized as the first American missionary sent overseas. His story shows courage, persistence, and a willingness to go where God called even when resources were few.
David Green (Hobby Lobby)
David Green started small, making picture frames in his garage. He worked hard, prayed for wisdom, and built his company, Hobby Lobby, on biblical values. Along the way, he made business mistakes and faced challenges, but he always asked God for direction. Today, Hobby Lobby is one of the largest arts and crafts stores in America, and David gives away much of his money to ministries. His story shows that business can be a way to honor God and serve others.
What He Learned: Wisdom from David Green
1. Growing Too Fast
At one point, Hobby Lobby opened too many stores too quickly and borrowed a lot of money. When the economy slowed down, sales dropped and the company almost went out of business. David Green learned that growing too fast can be risky. He realized it’s better to take time, be careful, and trust God’s timing instead of rushing.
2. Forgetting Work/Life Balance
In the early days, David spent nearly all his time working. That left less time for his family and even for his faith. This created stress at home. He later learned that work should not come first. His new rule became: God first, family second, business third.
3. Forgetting What the Customer Wants
For a time, Hobby Lobby filled its stores with too many products that didn’t really fit what people wanted. Shoppers were confused, and sales went down. David learned that it’s better to focus on the right things—crafts, home décor, and faith-based products—rather than trying to sell everything.
Elisabeth Elliot (Missionary to Ecuador)
Jim and Elisabeth Elliot were missionaries who wanted to share Jesus with a remote tribe in Ecuador. When Jim and four other missionaries were killed by the very people they were trying to reach, it was a heartbreaking tragedy. Most people would have given up and gone home. But Elisabeth prayed and asked God what to do next. With courage, she chose to forgive and return to the tribe with her young daughter. This time, the people welcomed her, and many came to follow Jesus. Elisabeth’s story shows that even in the deepest pain, God can bring a learning opportunity to trust His bigger plan.
Madam C.J. Walker (Hair Products)
Madam C. J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, grew up very poor and faced many hardships. When she started losing her hair, she began experimenting with different oils and formulas. After lots of testing and improving, she created a product that worked, called Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower. She started the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company and trained thousands of women, called “Walker Agents,” to sell her products. Even when people doubted her, she kept going and became the first self-made female millionaire in America. Her story shows that determination and persistence can turn setbacks into opportunities for success.
What She Learned: Wisdom from Sarah Breedlove
1. Turn Struggles into Solutions
Madam Walker’s hair loss was painful and discouraging. Instead of giving up, she worked hard to find a solution. That struggle led her to create products that helped thousands of women with the same problem.
2. Doubters can be Wrong
Many people told her that her ideas wouldn’t work and that she wouldn’t succeed. She refused to let their words stop her. She proved them wrong by building a business that made history.
3. Help Others Along the Way
Madam Walker didn’t just sell products, she trained and employed thousands of women. She gave them the chance to earn their own money and provide for their families. Her business success became a way to lift others up.
Truett Cathy (Chick-fil-A)
Truett Cathy opened a little diner after World War II, but it wasn’t easy to grow. Many people thought his choice to close on Sundays was a mistake because restaurants usually make money that day. Still, he wanted to honor God, so he stuck with it. Over time, Chick-fil-A became one of the most successful restaurants in the world, known not just for chicken but for kindness and integrity. His “try and learn” journey shows that following God’s way, even when it seems risky, can bring blessings.
LEGO (Ole Kirk Christiansen)
LEGO didn’t start as plastic bricks, but as wooden toys in Denmark. In 1942, the LEGO workshop burned to the ground, destroying everything. Instead of quitting, founder Ole Kirk Christiansen rebuilt and started an experiment. He worked with plastic, even though many thought it was a bad idea at the time. Early versions of the blocks weren’t very strong, but he kept testing and improving until he created the interlocking brick kids love today. LEGO’s story proves that even after disaster, trying again can lead to something even better.
Hudson Taylor (Missionary to China)
Hudson Taylor felt called to share the gospel in China, but it was a hard place for foreigners to be accepted. Other missionaries dressed like Europeans and lived separately from the Chinese people, but Hudson tried something different. He wore Chinese clothes, learned the language, and lived among the people. At first, many thought his approach would fail. But his willingness to try and adapt helped him build trust and spread the gospel of Jesus across China. His story shows how trying new ways, guided by prayer, can open doors.
Biblical Perspective
Proverbs 24:16 says, “Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” God doesn’t expect perfection. He values persistence, courage, and the willingness to grow. Everything you try, whether it falls flat or succeeds, can turn into a learning opportunity if you ask God what to do next!
Words to Know
A learning opportunity is a chance to grow and improve, even when things don’t go the way you expected.
An experiment is a test to discover something new, to see if an idea works, or to learn what happens.
Let’s Play!
Flip the Cards
Instructions: There are 5 scenarios below. Flip each card to see how you can learn from different types of experiences.
Bible Time
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…”
—Matthew 16:18
Even Peter, the one Jesus chose to begin building the Christian church, made mistakes as he learned to follow Jesus. Peter had failed by denying Jesus three times, but Jesus gave him a chance to try again and lead with love. Peter’s first tries didn’t disqualify him, they helped prepare him for a bigger purpose. This reminds us that our learning opportunities don’t mean we’re finished. Learning opportunities can be times where we learn to be who God is calling us to be.
With Your Grown-Up
If a grown-up or parent is nearby, spend a minute to discuss this topic.
Hands On
Put learning into action! Download the activity and dive into a fun, practical way to explore today’s lesson.
What we Learned
Every learning opportunity teaches us something. Even when things don’t work out, God can use those moments to help us grow in wisdom and be more ready for what’s next. The next time you think “oops,” remember that an “aha!” is just around the corner.
Check Your Understanding
High-Five!
Hit play for your end-of-lesson video!