Have you ever thought of Christopher Columbus as a failure? Probably not. Today he is revered for his courageous exploration and his discovery of the "new world." But in his day, people were not quite so generous with their praise. Columbus set off to locate a route to India. He expected to find palaces and riches. Instead, he found grass huts and natives.

Instead of the gold he anticipated, he found parrots. But he didn't give up. Four times he sailed across the Atlantic. He ran into all kinds of trouble, including being marooned, shipwrecked and threatened by his crew.

He never did find the wealth he dreamed of, but did he consider himself a failure? Absolutely not! He deliberately crossed an ocean few people thought could be crossed successfully. And he made the greatest discovery ever made—America!

Now, how did he develop confidence? Are we like that? Well, unfortunately, few people develop confidence successfully.

Joshua and Caleb are positive Biblical examples of those who had confidence. Let's see what these two Bible characters can teach us about developing confidence.

1. FIRST, COMPARE THE PROS AND CONS.

The Scripture says, "They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak (Giants) there" (Num. 13:27-28).

There were good and bad points about this venture. But, then again, everything in life has two sides. There are always risks involved. We need to look at the possible costs and rewards of our actions before we make a decision.

2. SECOND, EXPRESS YOUR POSITIVE BELIEFS.

The Scripture says, "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" (Num. 13:30).

Caleb took a stand. He expressed his opinion. He advised action. Verbalizing our goals and commitments can give us clarity and help us follow our dreams and achieve our purposes.

3. THIRD, EXPECT MIXED REACTIONS.

The Scripture says, "But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are" (Num. 13:31).

When you begin any new project, many people will try to tell you why it won't work. There will always be both positive and negative reactions. Those who say, "I can't," are setting themselves up for failure.

4. FOURTH, EXPECT PESSIMISM TO INFLUENCE THE CROWDS.

The Scripture says, "And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size" (Num. 13:32).

Most people see the bottle as half-empty; because it's easier to do nothing. These Hebrews were ready to give up before they started.

5. FIFTH, UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SELF-ESTEEM BECOMES PROPHETIC.

The Scripture says, "We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak . . .). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." (Num. 13:33).

This leader expresses a deep psychological principle. How we feel about ourselves is how others will feel about us. If we think we're worthless, many will treat us as worthless. Whether we believe we can achieve success or believe we can't achieve success—both tend to be true. We create our results.

6. SIXTH, EXPECT THE MAJORITY TO BE NEGATIVE.

The Scripture says, "That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" " (Num. 14:1-3).

If you try to achieve success, you will hear discouraging remarks and you will be criticized. Isn't it amazing that these people were not grateful to Moses for his help. They seem to have forgotten the misery of their slavery in Egypt. They blamed him for all their current problems.

7. SEVENTH, EXPECT OPPOSITION.

The Scripture says, "And they said to each other, ‘We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.' And the whole assembly talked about stoning them . . ." (Num. 14:4,10a).

Some will threaten; some will attack; and some will revolt. This proves the old adage that "A dog will bite the hand that feeds it." So, don't expect appreciation.

8. EIGHTH, DON'T COMPROMISE YOUR FAITH.

The Scripture says, "Then Moses and Aaron fell face-down in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, ‘The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us' " (Num. 14:5-8).

Notice that the majority is seldom right. The majority ridiculed Noah. The majority taunted Moses. The majority crucified Jesus.

9. NINTH, DON'T LET FEAR DEFEAT YOU.

The Scripture says, "Do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them" (Num. 14:9).

Panic can paralyze us and prevent any action. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."

10. FINALLY, REALIZE THAT FAITH MOVES MOUNTAINS.

The Scripture says, "Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun" (Num. 14:23-24,30).

Without faith you can't succeed. With faith you can't fail. But faith is not just optimism, belief or meek acceptance. Faith doesn't wait for a miracle. Faith acts. Faith creates its miracles. In fact, confidence means "with faith."

Many other Scriptures speak to this subject: Paul said, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13).

The Psalmist said, "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord" (Psa. 31:24).

Later he said, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more" (Psa.71:14).

Paul said, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:13).

Jesus said, "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 8:23).

Developing confidence takes time; but you can do it. Here, again, are the 10 tips for evaluating grasshoppers:

    1. Compare the pros and cons;
    2. Express your beliefs;
    3. Expect mixed reactions;
    4. Expect pessimism to influence the crowd;
    5. Understand that our self-esteem becomes prophetic;
    6. Expect the majority to be negative;
    7. Expect opposition;
    8. Don't compromise your faith;
    9. Don't let fear defeat you;
    10. Realize that faith can move mountains.

Developing confidence helps us achieve our goals and make the world a better place. In order to do this we must let actions become a habit.

    Don't wait until the situation is perfect before starting a project. Go ahead and start.

    Don't wait for the perfect circumstances or you'll never accomplish anything. If you wait until you feel like it, or your bills are all paid, or the new models are ready, or any other change outside of yourself before you make a commitment to do something with you life, then you will never do more than a fraction of what you are capable of doing.

To develop confidence you must start with small successes. As the Chinese proverb says, "A journey of a thousand leagues begins with but a single step."

Then to develop confidence you must keep going until you succeed. Character is the ability to carry on long after the enthusiasm and emotion of the moment has passed.

Finally, to develop confidence you must never believe the doomsayers. Historians say that significant achievements in America were made in spite of the word can't. For example, these statements were taken directly from newspapers:

    In 1840, they said, "Anyone traveling at the speed of thirty miles per hour will definitely suffocate."
    In 1901 they said, "No possible combination can be united into a practical machine by which men shall fly."
    In 1927 they said, "The foolish idea of shooting at the moon is basically impossible."
    In 1930 they said, "To harness the energy locked up in matter is impossible."

I'm glad men like Edison and the Wright Brothers didn't accept the word can't. An old poem by Edgar A. Guest says:

    Somebody said that it couldn't be done.
    But he with a chuckle replied That "maybe it couldn't,"
    But he would be one
    Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

    So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face.
    If he worried he hid it.
    He started to sing as he tackled the thing
    That couldn't be done, and he did it

    Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
    At least no one ever has done it";
    But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
    And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

    With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
    Without any doubting or quiddit,
    He started to sing as he tackled the thing
    That couldn't be done. and he did it.

    There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
    There are thousands to prophesy failure;
    There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
    The dangers that wait to assail you.

    But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
    Just take off your coat and go to it;
    Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
    That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.
                    —Edgar A. Guest

If you see yourself as a grasshopper, you'll perform like a grasshopper; and other's will treat you like a grasshopper. So, don't put yourself down. Believe in yourself! Joshua and Caleb were rewarded for having confidence.