Sometimes I am Wrong (requested repost)

You have been told about my addiction to the television show N.C.I.S.  I am so excited for the beginning of the new fall season because I have watched and re-watched reruns this summer. The leader of the investigative team, Gibbs, is cool and has never been unable to figure out the bad guys in any crime. 

One of the things that makes the show a hit is the set of "rules" which govern Gibbs, and the others are supposed to follow those rules even if they haven't heard of them. Every rule has a number assigned to it so a lot of the communication between the investigative team consists of repeating the rule numbers and everyone is supposed to understand. 

In one episode I watched recently, Gibbs was in conflict with a female attorney who was representing one of the bad guys. Sure enough, Gibbs had a rule about avoiding attorneys. Throughout the hour-long show, Gibbs and the attorney confronted each other several times, but toward the end they had both mellowed a bit. The closing scene was Gibbs looking over a piece of scrap paper where he had written his rule about avoiding attorneys.  He turned the paper over and wrote "Rule 51 - Sometimes I am Wrong."

The new rule is in direct conflict with a rule that's been around throughout the TV series, the rule that says, "Never Apologize, It's a Sign of Weakness."  It took me a while to get over Gibbs admitting his mistake.  The star and hero of the show actually confessing that sometimes he is wrong. 

I have some news for Leroy Jethro Gibbs, we are all wrong at times and apologizing and attempting to make things right is a sign of strength.  One verse that comes to mind is from James 3:2 " We all make many mistakes but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way."

The Bible is filled with the accounts of people who made mistakes. Look at Samson whose mistake was in telling the secret of his mighty strength, and then was captured by the Philistines.  Then there is Jonah who made the mistake of going in the direction totally opposite of where the Lord wanted him to go.  He learned fast that trying to run away from God leads to much sorrow.  In the New Testament, just before the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter was identified as being a follower of Christ, and he swore that he didn't know him at all.  I pray I will never make that mistake. 

We must be careful to avoid being judgmental of others who make mistakes, because we do a good enough job of making our own. Comparing the big mistakes of others to the much smaller mistakes we make can lead us to the point of self-righteousness.  We must never forget the God who forgives us is the God who forgives others as well. 

Here is your homework for today.  At some point today, take out a piece of paper and write Gibbs' rule number 51.  "Sometimes I am Wrong." I confess to you, those are hard words for me to write, but they are the very words that will lead us to stronger relationships in the body of Christ, and a deeper understanding of the God who loves us. 

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