There we sat in the living room, when the sound of a loud crash came stumbling in from the other room, you could hear the glass shattering against our wooden floors. I sprang to action and there was the source; my youngest son, looking very apologetic, offering an, ‘I am sorry’ many times. He had dropped the dish that held his favorite rocks. He could tell I was disappointed. His rocks could handle the hard blow from the ground, though my dish which was a special one that I let him borrow, did not handle it well. I knew it was a genuine accident. I fairly quickly turned my frustration to reassurance. I reminded him that it was okay and accidents happen. He immediately started bending down to pick up the broken glass, as he felt bad, he had broken my special dish. My husband and I stopped him, as not wanting him to cut himself. He was eager to help make things right. It got me thinking of all the accidents I have made and all the broken pieces I left because of those mistakes. The many times I was shown grace from others and most importantly, God. For sometimes the things I broke were not actual accidents, they were mistakes done because of recklessness. Other times, they were truly accidents. God many times has had to pick up my broken pieces. We ended the evening with lots of love and reassurance. The glass was cleaned, his rocks found a new display, and my son and I were both reminded that accidents happen and how great it is to be given grace. Friend, we all make mistakes. When given opportunity to offer grace or anger, please offer grace and love. For anger does not restore what is broken, only love can do that. As we are all human and make mistakes, may we approach mistakes with humility, knowing we ourselves have had to be forgiven. May we offer ourselves the same. For anger only adds more brokenness, where forgiveness brings about mending. When things break my friend, are we adding to the chaos or like God tends to us, are we mending what’s been broken?

Erin Fitts-Brower

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Psalm 103:8 NIV

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.