An executive at IBM once made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. Thinking he would be fired, he tendered his resignation to Thomas Watson Sr., the founder of IBM. Watson replied, “We just spent $600,000 educating you. If I fire you, someone else will reap the benefits of your lessons.” He retained him, and that man became one of IBM’s most valuable leaders.
Friend, you can move from mistakes to mastery. Truly, nobody is perfect. Only God is (Matthew 5:48). We have all made mistakes at one time or another. If anyone tells you he has never made a mistake, he is either lying or he has forgotten. Mistakes are part of how we learn and grow. They are part of the process of gaining mastery in life.
Remember our childhood days? The eraser was our constant companion. We cleaned up our errors as we tried to write, draw, or answer questions, but we never gave up. It was by rising from those mistakes and improving daily that we eventually mastered those subjects (Micah 7:8).
What life subjects are you mastering right now? The person who attempts nothing may not make mistakes, but he is already making a mistake. Never make the mistake of doing nothing because you are afraid of making mistakes (Matthew 25:25). How you handle your mistakes is what really matters. See them as learning experiences.
Though mistakes can be painful, they can become gainful if you learn to turn them around (Psalms 126:1-6). When you learn from your mistakes, you get better at life and better at your craft. It also equips you to guide and mentor those coming after you. That very thing you are ashamed of may be the very tool God wants to use to help others (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
Some mistakes are costly and can define a man forever. Always pray that God will not let you make such mistakes (Matthew 6:13). Listen to the nudging of the Holy Spirit. Don’t discard the counsel of elders. Stay humble. Avoid presumption. Remember, when you think you can never be wrong, you are already wrong (Matthew 26:33-35).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria
