A Life-changing Mistake

A Life-Changing Mistake

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.

Philippians 3:13

When I asked my husband if I could share this story, he cringed a little. It’s not very flattering, rehashing a mistake made long ago. But it’s become a turning point for his life.

As a young man he was out carousing with his friends. The group was sitting in the outside patio section of a pizza parlor when they were approached by a man who asked them for pizza or money to buy some.

“Dude, I haven’t eaten in, like, three hours,” my now-husband said carelessly, straight faced, as his friends laughed.

The next day, every meal he ate sat heavy in his gut. Feeling ashamed of his flippant response the night before, he went looking for the man. He spent hours searching for him, driving the streets, but never found him.

Knowing my husband now, I’m still a little shocked by the story. Because if there’s one population of people that he loves to help, it’s the homeless. He has organized groups of people to serve meals at our local shelter; he has baked the brownies we serve there. Each December, he’s been the impetus behind adopting homeless families and singles for Christmas, shopping for presents and helping to wrap them before dropping them off. He’s the one who fills our vehicle with new items for homeless or at-risk kids to give to their siblings and parents for Christmas. I’ve even watched him literally give a homeless man the shirt off his back.

Shame over our past actions can serve a purpose, if we use the lesson we’ve learned to influence our future. Jesus’ love for us is a narrative of redemption. He longs for us to acknowledge our mistakes and then use them for his glory.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Think of a time when you were unkind. Maybe it was the way you treated a family member, coworker, friend, or stranger. Consider how you might redeem that past situation, then take one step toward doing so.