“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.” (Psalm 18:35, ESV)

I had an issue at work one day. I made a mistake. I shattered a wood blind while cutting it for a customer. It seemed like a big error to me. It also involved destruction of merchandise, so it cost the company something. I was worried about telling the manager.

If I could have figured out a way to solve it on my own, I would have taken that option, but there was no other choice. I not only needed to fess up to my error, I needed help and training so I could avoid the same problem in the future.
Well, Cassie, the manager, came by, and I told her about the mess I had created. She looked at it and asked if I needed help. I said yes. She showed me the correct process so I wouldn’t have the same problem again. I told her I was sorry for the expense. With great gentleness she said, “Did you learn something?”

I said, “Yes.”

And with that the problem was over. I am sure she has forgotten it. I would have forgotten it except her gentleness in dealing with the issue overwhelmed me. I still feel emotional when I think about it. There was no condemnation. She in no way demeaned me. Rather she built me up and trained me so I could be better. She invested time and effort to make me a great employee that had the talents and skills necessary to do a good job. And I never feared telling her about another problem.

Our great God is like this loving manager. I mess up. I make mistakes. When I go to Him to confess, His response is never harsh or unkind. He very often asks, “Did you learn something?” And then with patience and gentleness, He stoops down and explains on my level how I can do it right the next time.

It isn’t easy to go to God when I mess up. My sin cost God something. It cost the life of His Son. Thinking about this makes me nervous about going to God with yet another issue, mistake, sin. Sometimes I worry and try to solve things on my own. And yet whenever I find the courage and go to Him I find a kind manager, a kind God. In gentleness and without condemnation, he trains me so I can be great. “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear” (Hebrews 13:6, ESV)

Thank you Lord for your gentleness and that it makes me great!