“…the Lord your God, who brought you
out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and
dreadful wilderness…He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to
eat in the wilderness…”—Deuteronomy 8:14-16 (NIV)
Perhaps the
most well-known underdogs in history are the Israelite slaves of Moses’ time. I’m
certain they had lost all hope for a brighter future after 400 years of being
trampled down as “less than human”. Yet
they were finally brought out of Egypt—with
much Egyptian gold and riches.
In fact, the
Biblical and modern history of Israel and the Jewish people is full of the
struggles and victories of underdogs. It’s empowering to study, especially when
we’re going through our own tough times. In this article, we’ll briefly touch
on two examples, Albert Einstein and Ruth of the Bible:
Albert Einstein
I
highlighted a quote from this genius in my last article. He is one of the most renowned
physicists of all time. Here are some of his biggest accomplishments, in resume
format:
- Formulated the Theory of Relativity
- Facilitated a deep study of quantum mechanics
- Provided foundation for the atomic bomb theory
This amazing
man had an estimated IQ (intelligence quotient) of 160-190.The bar graph above
illustrates how his intellect towers above that of the average person. He must
have been labeled as “Most Likely to Succeed” in his graduating class, right?
Wrong!
Einstein’s Early Obstacles
This
fascinating Washington Post article discusses how Einstein had a slow
start in life. He didn’t do well in his
early academic career, for instance. He daydreamed often because he wasn’t into
rote learning. Teachers labeled him as dull witted and slow. Students thought
he was a freak because he had no interest in sports.
A certain
Greek class is a prime example of his not fitting in. He wasn’t interested in
the subject at all. I’m guessing that Latin would be helpful and motivating to
a budding scientist. Greek? Not so much. He sat in the back of the class and
said nothing. The teacher told him he would never amount to anything. He was
wasting everyone’s time. He should leave school immediately.
Hello?!
Prodigy of the scientific world alert! This is Albert Einstein we’re talking
about. Gives the rest of us hope, doesn’t it?
Ruth of the Bible
This strong
Moabite lady lost a husband and father-in-law. When her mother-in-law, Ruth,
wanted to return to her birthplace of Bethlehem, Ruth insisted on following
her.
The two ladies survived by picking up whatever tidbits of grain the harvesters left behind. The owner of one field where they picked up food was Boaz, one of the richest men in the area. Boaz was kind to the two ladies when he learned of their circumstances. Ruth and Boaz fell in love and got married against all odds.
The
impoverished foreigner had risen up in the world. But, wait; there’s more! Ruth
also became the great-grandmother of King David of Israel. Jesus Christ was a
direct descendent of David.
My Conclusion
“What is defeat? Nothing but
education; nothing but the first step to something better.”—Wendell Philllips
Our past doesn’t
dictate our future. Slaves can be led out of bondage. Bored students can become
brilliant physicists. Poor foreigners can marry into greatness.
Related Posts
What amazing things have you
accomplished? Yes, you!
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