For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. — Proverbs 24:16
Several years ago in Ypsilanti, Michigan, a man walked into a Burger King restaurant early one morning and pulled a gun on the clerk. He demanded the cash register be emptied, but the clerk replied he couldn’t open it without a food order punched into the computer first. The man ordered onion rings, but the clerk said they didn’t serve them until 10:30 AM. The robber turned around and walked out.
A similar incident happened when a woman in Lake City, Florida, tried to rob a local motel armed with a chainsaw—an electric one that wasn’t plugged in!
Stupidity abounds in our world today… and not just among criminals! In fact, many of us would have to admit at one time or another we’ve made decisions that, looking back, weren’t the wisest. But the key to moving past those bad choices isn’t to pretend they didn’t happen; it’s to learn from them.
Every bad decision we make is an opportunity to learn going forward. Maybe it’s in how we’ve dealt with others, or perhaps it was a bad financial choice. Whatever it is, never stop learning from your mistakes. Accept you’re going to mess up now and then, and move forward in the wisdom you’ve gained from it!
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to help you learn from past mistakes and move forward with wisdom and discernment for the future.
Questions for thought
Think of a decision you made in the past that you now realize wasn’t the wisest. What did you learn from it?
How might a close accountability relationship with other believers help you learn from your mistakes?