The Valley of the Shadow of Oops

Freedom in Christ is freedom to live in God’s family without walking on eggs. It is not an excuse to call sin “good.” It is the opportunity to experience regret without terror and forgiveness without self-flagellation. It is an atmosphere which accepts imperfection and growth as part of the faith experience. This is the freedom I would call an “unusual freedom.” It may be understood as the freedom to make mistakes and accept consequences as corrective rather than punitive. It distances us from a false infallibility.

The doctrine of infallibility is foundational when we speak of the Scriptures. We walk on shifting sand, however, when we apply it to ourselves and our opinions. We like to speak as though we have arrived at final conclusions about many things. We try to codify infallibility into our church constitutions and by-laws. We love to find ways to establish policies which will last for all time. Yet, most of us have said in one way or another, “If I had known then what I know now.”

The point is we didn’t know it and, yet, we had to make a choice. God allowed us to make that choice based on what we knew. After making the decision we crossed a line and painted ourselves into a corner by giving ourselves no liberty of review. We must be able to recognize our mistakes, admit them and correct course.That is part of the dynamic of confession.

The need to correct course necessitates the freedom to change. This is difficult since we all have a proclivity to resist change. The person who claims he has not changed his opinion about anything in four decades is not being as profound as he might think. Unable to discern the universal principles of Scripture, we camp on provincial principles of culture and speak firmly about matters which are not as clear as the moment makes them. There is a difference between a clear command of Scripture and how we think it should be obeyed. Jesus continually hammered at this point when he hung around Pharisees; and he did so especially regarding Israel's biblical mandate of keep the Sabbath.

Once we understand the distinction between command and application, we discover that the freedom to make mistakes and the freedom to initiate change bring with them the freedom to move on.This freedom is especially important when it comes to grief over failure. It is never fun to discover we did not get something quite right. It is worthwhile occasionally to visit those memories in our “Hall of Shame” in order to be reminded that our relationship with God is because of Jesus Christ, not ourselves. But we must not forget, if we have embraced Jesus Christ as our Lord and redeemer, God still loves us and will help us to change and to get on with his purposes for our life. It is counter-productive to camp in the “Valley of the Shadow of Oops” and continually nurse the curse of stupidity over the dumb things we have done.

Take a long look at this unusual freedom. Whatever your mistake, it may have taken you by surprise, but it did not surprise God. You have the freedom to admit it, learn from it and experience the fresh air of change. Your mistake is not a slime pit in which to wallow. It is a stepping stone for growth and eventual success. Move on, wiser and more prepared for the next opportunities of life. Righteous men fall, but righteous men get up (Proverbs 24:16).