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Making up for past mistakes
Published 5:27pm Tuesday, February 1, 2011As a child, I would sometimes become unreasonably upset over making a mistake. I thought I was supposed to do everything right.
“Nobody’s perfect,” my mother would remind me.
The older I get, the more I realize how right she was. And I realize the important part about messing up is asking for forgiveness, correcting the wrong, and using the experience to help avoid such mistakes in the future.
A perfect example is a situation faced by a local couple recently. The couple, Joe and Judy Perkins, bought land off Highway 31 in the area known as Cooper to open an automobile salvage yard.
A trailer they borrowed to help move merchandise was stolen. The Perkins’ filed a police report but soon gave up hope on ever recovering the trailer. Joe Perkins went ahead and bought his friend a new one.
But then, 9 1/2 years later, whoever stole the trailer returned it.
The trailer was refurbished—a new coat of paint, floor, tires, rims were put on, and a winch was installed that wasn’t originally on the trailer—and a note was left explaining how the offender had accepted Christianity and returned the trailer in an effort to make up for past transgressions.
After talking with Mr. Perkins, it seems he has forgiven the person who stole the trailer. And many positive comments were posted below the story on our website, clantonadvertiser.com.
The case of the stolen and returned trailer is further proof that forgiveness can be had if it’s asked for, and that we can make up for the mistakes of our past.
–Dawkins is the assistant managing editor of The Clanton Advertiser.
I genuinely like the idea of “forgiving yourself”. Guess I hadn’t thought about this one. It makes perfect sense and I couldn’t have said it any better than what has already been stated on here.
For me, a big part of life itself is learning from one another. I have no need to get on my soap-box nor cram my beliefs down anybody’s throat nor walk around as if I can do no wrong nor think that my opinion or point of view is the “right” one so therefore it must be the only one! My responsibility to myself is to listen (read) what others have to say and discover what nugget of wisdom it is that they have to offer me. And for this, I shall always be grateful.
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Mr. Dawkins –
As a youngster I see nothing wrong with wanting to do everything just-so. It’s probably helped to make you the fine person that you are. As we grow older we realize that perfection is not in our reach. A wise woman once told me “Often failure is the FIRST step toward success” I think it translates as “if at first you don’t succeed … try, try again”. She also said “Be who you are, that way nobody can tell you that you’re doing it wrong.” I’ve never forgotten that wise woman nor her words.
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When I forgive another person, it is NOT for that person. I do it for me … I do it so that I can move on and be the best person I can be. Holding something against anoter person, even if they were wrong, requires a little part of me to stay down there with them. By forgiving them, I am able to soar and be all I can be, as they say in the Army. I’m not suggesting that my solution is right for everybody, but this is how I roll.
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After struggling with the concept of forgiveness and dragging that cart full of old baggage, I too learned the truth that you write of…..Forgiveness has nothing to do w/ the other person…it is the one and only truly selfish action a person can do for themself and benefit.
Just do not forget to forgive yourself too. A truly wise man coached me w/ the forgiveness concept. He said …By failing to forgive a transgressor you are allowing them to live rent-free in your head, heart, and soul…They suck up all of your resources (no space for good tenants) and you receive no compensation.
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Stephen are you afraid of the name of CHRIST? The exoffender accepted CHRIST (not Christianity). Many embrace the word christianity, sayit, use it, wear it like a cloak. But a transformation like this exemplifies a true acceptance and surrender to THE CHRIST.
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