Fail Forward

We all make mistakes.  But here's the surprise:  mistakes actually contribute to the next leg of our journey, making us wiser, stronger, accelerating life in marvelous ways.

"Exhibit A" is the Apostle Paul.  If ever there was one who failed, it was Paul who "...persecuted the church...[trying] to destroy it..."  (Galatians 1:13).  But "...when God...called me by his grace..." Paul notes in Galatians 1 -- his life changed, accelerated, as Paul failed forward, becoming the greatest Apostle ever, preaching so boldly, he "....did not consult with any man..." (Galatians 1:16) -- so consumed by the grace and freedom of God!

We’re to be consumed also by the grace and freedom of God.  Sure, like Paul, we’ve persecuted a few people, destroying a few things.  But in spite of such failure there is a future -- if -- we allow ourselves to be caught up, consumed by the passion of God.   For as Winston Churchill notes:  “success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm” -- but not just any enthusiasm, the enthusiasm, the passion of God -- who turns: mistakes into milestones – screw ups into stepping stones – advancing us toward His melody and Kingdom dream.

Favio Chavez has done something amazing:  Favio has organized an orchestra in Cateura, Paraguay, that plays on instruments made out of recycled trash.  You see Cateura has one of the largest landfills ever, filled with over 1500 tons of trash, which people pick through to make a living.  But Favio wanted to redeem the landfill, so he started a music school at that very site.  At first Favio’s own instruments were enough to equip his few students, but soon Favio’s enrollment boomed.  And so Favio did an incredible thing:  he asked Nicolas Gomez, one of the trash-pickers, to make additional instruments from trash, from the landfill.  And Nicholas did, making a cello out of an oil can and old cooking tools -- a flute out of tin cans -- a drum set out of X-rays and more cans -- a saxophone out of bottle caps and still more cans -- a violin out a battered aluminum salad bowl and discarded forks. Well the results were amazing as Cateura’s "Recycled Orchestra" now plays to packed crowds – spellbound – as right before their eyes -- mess becomes melody – trash becomes treasure – garbage becomes gain!

Right before our eyes:  mess can become melody – trash can become treasure – garbage can become gain.  For no matter how much refuge and regret is before us – God can recycle and redeem, bringing new melody to life.

Believe God can bring new melody to life!  No matter the mess and mistakes, fail forward, claiming the hesed, the assistance of God “…who [does forgive]… [trash and] transgression… [who does delight in showing]… [marvelous] mercy…”  (Micah 7:18-19, adapted).    

Claim marvelous mercy!   For because of God’s great love, “…we are not consumed [by failure] – for [God’s] compassions never fail.  They are new every morning:  great is thy faithfulness.  (Lamentations 3:22-23) O Lord!   

And so, sure, great is our guilt – our shame – our regret.  But greater is our God – no matter the missteps – misdeeds – misjudgments of life.    

Let that truth pound in your head, not just your regret.  For we do have a God who delights in turning mistakes into milestones – screw ups into stepping stones – garbage into gain – producing a melody of grace and freedom – advancing each of us – toward His marvelous, amazing -- Kingdom Dream!