The English teacher reneged on the agreement to take the first general class, and I was called upon to teach the course.
The call was unexpected. Ordinarily, subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, and agriculture are my area of interest. Thankfully, my experience as a journalist paid off. The manager of the establishment upheld my teaching after the lecture. The students did as well, but not verbally. I read it on their faces. A drama played out in the middle of the period.
After giving out my techniques for making As in the subject, we touched on past university entrance exam questions. As the whole quizzical class cascaded, I gave a good account of myself without generating ripples—until we got to a question dealing with stress pattern. The answer to the question was hotly debated, which warranted a student to check my answer in her dictionary.
Minutes later, a voice reverberated, “Tutor!” The student carried a copy of the dictionary towards me, pointing to how the word was transcribed. “Mistakes are made,” I said in defense. I looked regretful, yet I kept blame at arm’s length and couldn't admit I had personally failed.
Some mistakes are just mistakes, driving us in the wrong direction. Mistakes such as forgetting to set a timer and burning dinner or miscalculating a checkbook balance. But then there are the deliberate deeds that go far beyond. God calls those sins.
Aaron avoided personal responsibility when the people—while in the desert—built a golden calf to worship. He might as well have muttered, “Mistakes are made.”
Blaming someone else rather than admitting our own failings is easier. Equally dangerous is trying to minimize our sin by calling it a mistake instead of acknowledging its true nature.
When we take responsibility by acknowledging and confessing our sin, the One who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Take God up on His offer of forgiveness.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Ezeh Goodness graduated from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria. He is a journalist in a local newspaper in Nigeria. He is also a youth pastor in his local church who enjoys seeing people lead a righteous life. You can contact him at ezehgoodness@gmail.com.