This summer, my three year old started beginner swimming lessons. To my surprise, he whizzed past Level One tear-free.

So, I was pretty surprised how anxious my little guppy became just a few weeks into Level Two swim class.

“I am going to sink!” TJ wails, his eyes wild with fear.

His fingers suddenly stick like suction cups. His arms and legs wrap around me like a starfish clinging to a rock.

After I tried reasoning with him, I turned to bribery. After five minutes of tough negotiation, both parties reached an agreement.

Back home, as my little buddy scores unpackages a toy car to add to his collection, I decided to clue him in on an important fact.

“You know, Teacher Mike isn’t just a regular swim teacher.  He’s actually a swim coach.”

“There’s a race for swimming?” TJ turns to ask. I see I struck a chord.

“Oh, totally.” I put on my nonchalant walk to the kitchen. Steps follow.

“Will Teacher Mike help me go fast?.. I want to be super fast!”

The following week, TJ enters the pool, still nervous and water wary, but willing to learn.

Teacher Mike is no longer just a teacher. He’s a swim coach.

Two Men See A Different Jesus

Even though they were both discipled by Jesus and failed Him miserably, Judas took his own life, while Peter went on to become the rock that God built His church on.

What made one give up on Jesus, while the other was saved by Him?*

Judas saw Jesus as a good man he betrayed.

Judas didn’t believe that Jesus was God who truly loved Him, someone who could treasure him, even with his imperfections.

Peter, however, saw Jesus as the Lord he betrayed.

Jesus was able to save Peter because he didn’t end his life.  It gave Jesus a chance to love him in his mistakes and change the course of his life forever.

Mistakes Cannot Thwart God’s Love or Destiny

We all make mistakes.

How we view God when we fail can determine whether we sink or swim.

God’s plan can’t be so frail, to be easily derailed by mistakes! God is smart enough to take imperfections into account, sovereign enough to work through them, and wise enough to flex with them in real life.

These comforting truths give me room to grow and blunder.

Because God’s love can cover a multitude of sins, Jesus could have saved Judas. He just never gave Jesus the chance.

As we walk and stumble our way to new endeavors, be encouraged by the loving Friend and faithful Lord we belong to.

God will finish the work He started in us.  He will stick with us to the very end.  No matter what.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

“I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.”  Romans 8:38-39

How do you respond to mistakes?
How has God’s love lifted you lately?

(*) I asked this question while reading Failure: Beginning or End? on Make a Difference to One.

Today's post is Part 3 in a series titled, "What's New With You?".
Be sure to catch:
Part 1:  Never Too Late To Make Room For New
Part 2:  Faith Isn't Sci-Fi:  Change Takes TIme
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