I WAS WRONG

I was wrong.  These three words are powerful.  On the surface, it might seem like they represent weakness, or even failure in some way.  But they are not weak words.  They are strong words.  Why?  Because they are humble words.  And humble words are powerful words. 

Let’s unpack this a bit.  All of us make mistakes.  I tell our church, and my kids, that nobody is perfect.  Yet, we all struggle with admitting our imperfections to each other.  It is an odd behavior we all display.  We all know that we all mess up; but we all seem to have a hard time admitting when we do.

This is where a set of humble words, like I WAS WRONG, shine with strength in our lives.  Humility is a bridge-builder.  It helps us connect with people, because it helps people connect with us.  It puts our hearts on display, even when our efforts are misplaced or maligned with what is good.  It tears down walls of pride we put up in relationships.  It gives people a chance to look at our imperfections with the goal of understanding our true intentions.  Humility tells people that selfishness and pride are not what matter most to us.  It tells people they matter most to us.  It makes the connections in our lives stronger.

 Here's your ReTweet:  People admire our achievements, but they connect with our authenticity.

Recently, I put my foot in my mouth with my kids.  I had a long, difficult week of that pastor-life, and ashamedly I let that spill over into a quick reaction toward my kids.  I did not listen to them, and as a result, I let my patience run too thin.  Immediately, I knew that I had to confess my impatience to them.  So, I did.  Here’s the interesting thing that happened though.  Our kids responded with the same words:  “Nobody’s perfect dad.”  Wow.  I’ve spent years teaching them this, but they returned it in kind when I went to them with my apology.  I told them, “I was wrong”, and I asked for their forgiveness.  Not only did they quote me in their forgiving response, but they both gave me a big hug.  We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out, and later having some really great conversations about what was going on in their lives.

What is so special about this little story that many of us parents likely have?  The power of three words:  I WAS WRONG.  The power of humility.  The ministry of authenticity.  Humility acknowledges our need for grace, and it builds a bridge to people.  Don’t be afraid of these powerful words.  They might help you build the bridges you need for better relationships.