.....growing

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen 2 Peter 3:18

A seaman met a pirate in a bar, and their talk turned to their adventures on the sea. The seaman noticed that the pirate had a peg-leg, a hook, and an eye patch. He asked, "So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?"

The pirate replied, "We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off." "Wow! What about your hook?” The pirate said, "We were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords. One of the enemy cut my hand off." "Incredible! How did you get the eye patch?” “A seagull dropping fell into my eye.”

"You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?," the sailor asked incredulously. "Well," said the pirate, "it was my first day with my hook."

Life has a way of teaching us lessons, often through painful experiences. Unfortunately, we can get wounded along the way — physically, emotionally, or spiritually. And like the pirate in this story, we sometimes survive some of life's biggest challenges only to get tripped up on the small, unexpected moments that catch us off guard and reveal our weaknesses. We act before thinking, and it costs us.

The truth is, we are all learning. None of us has perfect wisdom, knowing exactly how to handle every situation. God designed life to be a journey of growth. Even our mistakes, however frustrating or embarrassing they may be, can be used as a stepping stone toward wisdom.

The pirate in that story probably never made that mistake again! And that’s the key — learning from what happens so that we don’t keep making the same blunders. Let your mistakes be moments that bring you closer to God and make you wiser.

So, if you’ve had a “first day with the hook” moment, take heart — God is still working in you, and every misstep is an opportunity to grow.

Lord, thank you for your patience with me as I learn and grow. Help me to learn from my mistakes and to see them as opportunities to trust you more. Help me to grow in wisdom so that I can serve you better. In Jesus’ name, amen.

- alan smith