James in the Arena

I've just read portions of Theodore Roosevelt's speech Man in the Arena, having heard it referenced several times in the past weeks.  It's the one with these famous lines,

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 the 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

This week, also, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are studying the epistle of James, in the New Testament, and it was that James who famously wrote, "faith without works is dead", and "[I'll] show you my faith by my works".

As I think of Teddy's and James' words, I'm pricked in my heart a bit. 

Teddy's words were to the educated and wealthy elite of France, to whom he said,

You and those like you have received special advantages; you have all of you had the opportunity for mental training; many of you have had leisure; most of you have had a chance for enjoyment of life far greater than comes to the majority of your fellows

 In my life, I have received opportunities for “mental training”.  I have also criticized “work which the critic never tries to perform”.  I have avoided the dust of the arena, at work and elsewhere.  Oftentimes, I want to live in the ivory tower, in the land of theory, of almost achievement.

During my career, there have been coworkers who have distinguished themselves by their ability to get things done through figurative "dust and sweat and blood".  I know friends and family who dare greatly.  And I feel that I have always lived beneath my possibilities -- in large part due to wanting to be the critic on the sideline, where it is comfortable and safe, where you can "neither know victory nor defeat".

At a deep level, this desire to live on the sidelines was what prompted, in my belief, millions and perhaps billions of human pre-born spirits to opt out of the opportunity for earth life.  They are the ultimate critics on the sidelines, tempting us, in an ironic twist, with all their might to misuse our time in the arena, or to avoid getting dirty at all costs.

With the gift of agency granted me by a loving Eternal Father and the opportunity granted me by a Savior to repent of any misuse of my agency, will I be the critic, or will I be the one who dares greatly and perhaps attains the "triumph of high achievement"?

"All that my Father hath" is the highest possible gift.  I believe it's possible, because it's been promised. 

But I've gotta get dirty to get there.  I've gotta jump in that arena.