The story is told of a woman who had finished shopping and returned to her car. She found four men sitting inside the car. She dropped her shopping bags, drew a handgun, and screamed, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car.”
The men did not wait for a second invitation – they got out and ran like crazy. The woman, somewhat shaken, loaded her shopping bags and then got into the car. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not get her key into the ignition. Finally, it dawned on her: her car was parked four or five spaces away!
She loaded her grocery bags into her own car and then drove to the police station to turn herself in. The desk sergeant to whom she told the story nearly fell off his chair laughing.
He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four men were reporting a carjacking by an old woman with thick glasses and curly white hair, less than five feet tall, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed. (Story from www.ministry127.com)
Making mistakes in life is a given. We all do it. Not everyone is so quick to admit to making an error. Our pride often keeps us from confessing our wrongs even when we know we need to. The Living Bible puts Proverbs 28:13 this way, “A person who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if that person confesses and forsakes those mistakes, another chance is given.”
Part of our Christian discipleship is learning to admit our mistakes and our sins. We can often gain wisdom from our failures. But we have to face up to it. Confession is good for the soul, and it keeps us growing.