Never Waste a Mistake

 October 13, 2024

Sunday

About thirty-three years ago the church I was serving got a new pastor. Mike Glenn came to Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN and was amazing. However, the first time he baptized, we forgot to tell him which waders to use. One of them had a hole in it. The problem is, if you don't know that you won't know it until you are in the water. Mike went ahead and baptized. He was wearing a light colored suit with light pants. It looked like he just didn't make it to the bathroom. I was called back to his study and burst out laughing the moment I saw him. He wanted me to get his wife to bring another suit. There just wasn't enough time for her to get it and bring it back to the church. So, Mike preached in his wet pants.

I learned something valuable that day. Never waste a mistake. Mike told the congregation what happened. They laughed and he endeared himself to the congregation. He was human. He humbled himself and made himself a whole lot bigger at the same time.

If we let God work when we make mistakes, we will see Romans 8:28 come alive. God will cause the good to come upon us even when something bad has happened. On the other hand, we can make a bad thing worse if we want to.

Admit what happened. Don't try to cover it up. Be humble and let God work. Those are things that have gone with me for a long time now. Mistakes that are covered up become larger. Mistakes that are admitted become learning opportunities.

Romans 8:28 (ESV)²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.