My Big Fail
October 12, 2015//
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Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)
I messed up.
Today’s scripture is one of my
mantras. I refer to it often to remind myself that words are powerful. I stay
away from gossip as much as possible. I try to find the good in everyone.
mantras. I refer to it often to remind myself that words are powerful. I stay
away from gossip as much as possible. I try to find the good in everyone.
But I failed this time.
Some background… I don’t have a smart phone. It’s a thorn in my side that I cannot participate in group texts or send/receive photos. I only got a phone with a full keyboard a few years ago. Before that I had a flip phone. Yes, it’s true. So when I get a media message saying “you can’t open this”, I reply with a standard “I cannot receive group texts or photos. Please resend as an individual text or email.”
Unaware of these constraints, my personal trainer generously added me to his client support group where they share photos of their meals and encourage one another in the fitness journey. For unknown reasons, I didn’t reply in the usual manner. My response was worse. Much worse.
It’s like the words came from another person. My trainer has deleted the caustic text, but group member comments included “Ouch! Nasty! Don’t let her bring you down! and Who is she?” I’m humiliated that they were rightfully referring to me.
With my tail between my legs, I have apologized to the group and my trainer and asked for forgiveness. I’m embarrassed to walk into the gym sporting the shiny gold cross I always wear.
We all make mistakes. It’s important to take responsibility and make it right. I accept God’s grace and will work to better represent the cross I wear.
When have you messed up? How did you handle it?
#SeedsOfScripture #grace #bigmistake
4 Comments
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Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.
Thank you for being so transparent. I mess up daily with my son. He is 13 and I treat him like he is 3. This past weekend we visited my step sister (not evil) we browsed through some shops in her neighborhood. My son likes to touch things. His hand eye coordination is not very good. I yelled "Don't touch that" in the middle of the store. Poor kid was embarrassed. I apologized and we had a conversation about his abilities and how I can lovingly encourage him to be careful of his limits.
Yes, we mess up every day, sometimes more publicly than others. What's important is that we own it and try to make it right. Thanks for your story. His mercy is new every morning.
Cathy, I've been meaning to respond to this for days. It really ministered to me. It is rare for Christians to be so authentic and vulnerable in their failures and yet, we all fail, regularly. We need to be able to take off our masks and say, yea, I really messed up, and that's why I so desperately need a Savior. I had a major fail with a former employee (care-giver for my daughter). Out of fear for my daughter's well-being, and letting those fears fester over time instead of "nipping it in the bud", I blew up. As this employee was not a Believer I beat myself up over destroying my "witness" (even though I tried to make it right and apologize). God has reminded me over and over again that He is big enough to "fix" things even when I fail miserably. If we just live more authentically probably more people will be drawn to the grace of God. Thanks Cathy for helping me strip my mask off!
Thank you for sharing Wendy. Ah yes, we all mess up but often hide these moments from view. I'm hardest on myself when I misrepresent the faith to a non-Christian. A fellow Christian should understand. But how we handle the situation is also a witness, so your 'explosion' was not the end of the witness. We're all broken which is why I'm so glad there is grace every morning.