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For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 NIV

Have you ever made a mistake?

Has someone ever gotten mad at you for making a mistake?

What do you do? Say I’m sorry? Admit you’re wrong? Ask for forgiveness?

What type of response do you hope for? Forgiveness? Grace?

Certainly not bitterness or anger. (Although many times we are on the receiving end of these responses.)

I was standing in line last night at the pharmacy waiting my turn. The man in front of me was probably in his late 50s. He was wearing a nice shirt and tie. The young woman in front of him was holding a young, yet sick child who had decided to play peek-a-boo with this man. It was so sweet and very endearing. He smiled and laughed with her. They traded waves back and forth as the game went on as we all waited our turn.

And then it was his turn. Unfortunately, someone made a mistake with his order. For whatever reason, the pharmacy only had 29 of the 30 pills he was to pick up. If he received the order of 29, he would not be able to pick up the one missing pill. He could wait another day or so for the shipment to come in or take the order less one. He was definitely unwilling to wait but very angry about the shortage of one pill.

In a mere instant I saw a completely different side of this man.

He became very angry and irate. No matter how many times the pharmacist told him he was sorry for the mistake, nothing would appease this man. He continued to rant and rave. The pharmacist apologized, he offered a possible explanation, and he continued to try to appease this man. Nothing worked. The man continued his rage.

As I watched this play out before me, I was astounded by this man’s reaction. His lack of forgiveness and grace was in stark contrast to the gentle giant who had just played peek-a-boo with this sick little girl only seconds earlier.

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
Matthew 18:2-5 NIV

My niece Isaiah 7 years old. She’s been picked on and made fun of just like many other children her age. As I’ve heard some of the stories – my heart breaks to think that another child would say something so hurtful and painful to her. But she is a trooper. She does not hold their mistakes against them. She is so loving and forgiving. She does not hold a grudge.

I love the idea that God wants us to come to Him as a child. Children always seem to bring out the best in us. They are so loving, so forgiving, so willing to offer grace. They don’t hold our mistakes against us.

Jesus is the same way. He doesn’t hold our mistakes against us either. He loves. He forgives.

As I watched this man’s reaction to the mistake the pharmacy made, I was reminded of just how blessed I am that God doesn’t hold my mistakes against me. Gee, if He did, I sure would hate to see the kind of response inflicted against me. Instead, I can take comfort in the fact that God sees beyond the mistakes I make. He loves me. He forgives me. He offers grace.

You can take comfort too. And perhaps the next time you’re on the receiving end of someone else’s mistake, you’ll remember just how blessed you are and extend the same kind of response God has extended to you.

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

A Broken Spirit And Contrite Heart