Do You Make Mistakes?
Whoever conceals their sins does not
prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
– Proverbs 28:13
It’s comical. Really. It is. She absolutely refuses to
accept responsibility, insisting that I am somehow at fault for her missing a committee
meeting.
Let me explain. At the last meeting, the committee set
the day, time and place for the next meeting. She was sitting right next to me
in that meeting. She never said one word about a conflict or that a particular
day never works for her. Until she realized three weeks later that she couldn’t
come because of another meeting.
I don’t know her schedule. Honestly, I don’t want to
know her schedule. We’re all adults. I checked my calendar, as did the other
committee members. She didn’t. That’s not my fault. It’s not anyone else’s
fault. She made a mistake. But she won’t admit that, not will she let it go. We
are all shaking our heads in astonishment.
Why is it so hard to admit when we’re wrong? We all
make mistakes. We all mess up. Why can’t we admit it and move on? Why do we
need to keep defending ourselves and pointing the finger long after we should
have moved on?
I suppose it’s easier than looking in the mirror and
facing the truth. This was such a small issue but small issues have a way of
revealing larger truths. What we do in the small things reflects how we live
our lives in the big things. Maybe that’s what we are trying to hide.
A friend shared a story about a new pastor who rode a
city bus one day. When he got to his seat, the pastor realized the bus driver
had given him an extra quarter in change. What to do? It’s only a quarter. It
really isn’t a big deal. Surely, it’s not worth the time to give it back?
But the pastor, when he got ready to get off the bus,
felt a nudge inside. He handed over the quarter to the driver, explaining that
he’d gotten too much change. The driver simply smiled. It seems the driver was
looking for a new church and the extra quarter was a test. He had heard about
the pastor but he wanted to check him out first. The bus driver told the pastor
he would see him on Sunday.
It was just a quarter. But it wasn’t about the
quarter. It was about integrity. What we do with the small things in life
reflects how we will live the big ones.
I am sad for my friend. I am sad for any of us who
feel we can’t confess a mistake and move on. I’m sad about pointing fingers.
And I’m sad that I can’t really trust her on the big things anymore.
Most people are filled with mercy when others make a
mistake. Why? Because we’ve all been there. It’s what makes us human. It’s what
helps us unite with others. Think about it. Who wants to hang around someone
who is perfect all the time? Who wants to share secrets and life with someone
who always gets it right?
So, the next time you make a mistake just admit it.
Then move on. And the next time someone else makes a mistake, be gracious and
move on. No one wins when someone refuses to step up and take responsibility
for his own mistakes.
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