We've just witnessed another Olympic Games. Despite the myth that the Games highlights the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, the truth is that our media focuses almost exclusively on Australia's winners. The Olympics is where success for individuals and countries is measured entirely by the number and colour of the medals gained.

Soon our children will sit their examinations. For many students and their schools success will be reflected in their UAI score and an Olympics-style results tally.

Some young people will be exhilarated by the experience, and their schools will bask in their glory. But for the vast majority of children, their achievements will not be celebrated with the same fervour.

So is it wrong for schools to be so pre-occupied with the achievements of their most able academic students? Is it wrong for schools to congratulate themselves on account of their top UAI scorers?

It is time we all paid more attention to those who tried hard, even did their personal best, but missed out on being amongst the winners.

Researchers are now writing about a new syndrome they call "sensitivity about being a target of a threatening upward comparison' (STTUC). Students who experience success believe they will be the target of an envious comparison with a peer who was not so successful. This syndrome is crippling talented people all around the world. They now fear success and don't bother trying.

I think it is time we had a hard look at what we call success and what we call failure.

Some people think that every child can and should be a success in something and it is the teacher's job to find that area and coach the child to reach it. If you believe, as I do, that every child has been gifted by God with something special, parents and teachers should be working together with the child to realise his or her success. Perhaps, if we thought this way, a lot more young people would be winners.

My other concern is how we deal with the perception of failure in a culture that only venerates success: success is good, failure is bad. Of course, we can easily pay lip service to this, while betraying the truth in our actions by continuing to reward the "winners'. 

We all need to be taught how to manage success and failure. As I read the Bible I find encouragement to persevere and complete the race and through the perseverance comes the reward as well as the development of character.

I also discover that most of the great ones in the Bible failed often in very significant ways. They not only recovered from their failure but they used it as a tool for growth " they learned from their failure, confessed it to God and were often able to be used in even mightier ways.

For every Christian " but especially those of us who are educators " our energy should be going into "discipling' others: encouraging the development of the biblically defined elements of character, which include the inner riches that conform to God's character.

This is where our children will find true glory. As Paul says at the beginning of his letter to the Colossians: "" God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."
 Dr Bryan Cowling is Executive Director of the Anglican Education Commission