Before I knew I’d be a woman of faith, I can remember defining moments in my life determining my character. A simple example of this was how I’d once bad mouthed a fellow co-worker amongst my office staff. What I had said got back to the bosses. I was called into a private meeting with these bosses who sat across from me, and I was confronted for what I had said.
In that moment I had to make a choice. I instantly knew what I had done had undermined my reputation and that of the one I’d spoken against. Immediately I knew I was to be fired for the rash way I had spoken without thinking. With that thought in mind I simply went for the truth of who I wanted to be…honest!
I confessed to what they knew I’d said about my co-worker. Without thinking I also apologized in true repentance. In this moment of confrontation I knew what I had done was not because I was right but because I had been irritated with the task itself. It had seemed small and belittling. Despite knowing I was to be fired, I felt a peace in having been honest.
To my surprise something changed in the meeting. The bosses who had come in with grim and determined demeanor seemed to be taken aback. It would seem they were expecting me to defend myself or blame shift. With more gentleness than I deserved, they reprimanded me not to do it again and sent me back to work.
Looking back now I understand how repentance leads to forgiveness….