“To
err is human, to forgive, divine.”
― Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744)
INCIDENT investigation is something I have
become a past master at; to strip apart an event, ascertain and acknowledge
with others all of the facts, and identify everything that didn’t go according
to plan, including those things we didn’t foresee. Part of the whole process is
to get away from a blame culture; to err is human. We err in so many ways.
In regards to the unsavoury things of life
in – yes, relational things, where conflict abounds – we are granted our
emotions. God gave us emotions for a very good reason; in order to discern
intelligently. But too much emotion lacks intelligence due to our fallen
nature; to err is human.
Whenever we propagate thought of being
human, when it comes to the emotions, we inevitably arrive at fatigue. It is
unsustainable. Human emotions will run us up upon the dry land of tiredness.
We reach the end of ourselves which is where
God might finally begin.
Eventually the Lord is heard to say in that
still, small voice: “Have you had enough yet? Do you want to try another, better way?”
Much of our humanity is sick of the limits
of our humanity. We hate being flawed, and even if we thought we were not
flawed we still have to bear thought for what others think about us.
Transcending our humanity we focus on
thinking as God would think.
We are able to transcend our erring nature
if we are prepared to surrender in order to align with the divine; the divine
way. What have we to lose? Our independence? The truth is our independence has
cost us so much already, when dependence on God may only cost us our
independence, and gain for us the eternal peace of a sustainable way.
To err is human, to forgive, divine.
Within divinity is power in and through us
in the name of God, for the glory of God. It is power in and through them also,
for God could not abide in giving power partially. There is no partiality in
God, and so if there is to be any blessing for us, there must be blessing for
others, too.
To be in relationship with God is the
perfect opportunity to transcend, even occasionally, our erring humanity; to
trust God enough to be empowered to forgive. The key is, and always will be,
surrender.
When we realise our independence of
humanity takes us down dark roads, erring roads, we can sense another
burgeoning opportunity: to go with full abandon toward the Lord our God; our
Creator, who knows our broken beings better than anyone. We need God if life is
to work.
***
To err is human,
To forgive, divine,
When we surrender,
With God we align.
© 2014 S. J. Wickham.
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