Making Mistakes

   One day I was out watching my students at recess. I saw one child playing on a piece of playground equipment. This child is very strong and outgoing. He had gotten himself up on top of a pole. He then grabbed another pole and was trying to get across to this other pole to the point where his body was horizontal across these two poles.
   Now, with today's standards many parents would probably be saying "you need to stop him, that is dangerous." I thought about stopping him but I knew he would learn a lesson no matter what happened. He did make it across to the other pole and then he celebrated. He worked hard to get where he wanted to go and was rewarded because he made it.
   I know there are parents out there who want to protect their kids. I'm not saying that some protection is wrong. What I am saying is what I say to my students, "you need to try. If you try your best and you mess up will Miss Scheuing be upset?" The students always say, "no." My students know that they learn by making mistakes.
   I think that we have forgotten that in this day and age. We are so afraid to mess up that we stay inside our comfort zone. We end up missing opportunities because we choose to not do new things. My students would not be rewarded with the ability to read if they did not try something new. My players would not have the skills they have today if they did not join a new team or try a new drill. I would not be rewarded with all the gifts and opportunities God has given me if I stopped trying new things.
   Making mistakes is okay. It may not be fun, but if you make a mistake you are more likely to try something new next time. Above all else, when you make a mistake remember, "there was only one perfect man and he walked on water. Can you do that?"
   So will you choose to step outside your comfort zone to gain new opportunities and grow? Will you guide and encourage others to step outside their comfort zones? How can you step outside your comfort zone today?

   Joshua 1:9, 2 Peter 3:18, Romans 5:2-6

   Image found here.