How About a Redo?!

1st Timothy 2:5 tells us that we have an advocate before the Father:
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time...  Romans 8 asks, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"    Jesus died for us so that we might have a right relationship with God - and when we mess up and when life just gets plain messy, we can know that He is with us even in our mistakes.   He strengthens us, He enables us to adjust our thinking, speaking, and acting, and will direct us to make things right - He is the God of the fresh start!   1st John 2 reminds us that forgiveness is available for the Christian:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.    And, the Bible teaches that if we are to extend forgiveness toward others when they have offended us or perceived that they have wronged us.  Have you ever wanted a "redo" for something you've said - maybe a hurtful word spoken in anger, or just a careless word spoken in ignorance?    I think Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford might want a redo today.   On Wednesday's show, she was interviewing actor Martin Short, when this exchange occurred, according to Us Weekly.

"You and Nancy have one of the greatest marriages of anybody in show business," Gifford said. "How many years for you guys now?"

"We . . . married 36 years," Short replied.

"But you're still in love!" the host exclaimed. "Madly in love," he answered. "Madly in love."

You see, Short's wife passed away 2 years ago.   This was no doubt an embarrassing moment for Gifford and an awkward moment for Short.   But, during a commercial break, she learned of her mistake and apologized on-air.   Short, when asked about the incident, wins the Perfect Gentlemen award and extended grace, saying to E! News:

"I think that it's live television and people make mistakes and there's no ill will intended...And I think it's nice to aspire to be that way."

Of course, the press would like to make it more than it really is - but Kathie Lee's apologized, Martin has accepted, and that should be the end of it.   I bring it up today because this does give us some things we can think about.

 

First, I understand how Kathie Lee must feel.  I hate to make mistakes on-air.   I'm a "type-A, perfectionist", and it's tough to let go sometimes.   I had an instance even yesterday where I aired a clip that I thought crossed the line, and I apologize.    But, when we make mistakes, it's important that we don't wallow in them, become weighed down in self-pity and hold us back.   When we sin, it's important that we confess them before God, realizing that we have a Mediator and Advocate in Jesus Christ.   And, we take the necessary step or steps to make things right with others.  God is for us, and He wants to heal us from those burdens of past mistakes.

 

And, one might say Kathie should have been better prepared - I've been there, I live there, and there's no such thing as being completely prepared, so cut her some slack.   But, I do think there is an element of thinking before we speak.  Sometimes we can say things that come out before our brain is engaged - so we can also be more careful at times.

 

Props to Martin Short - instead of saying that Kathie Lee was ill-prepared or vindictive or wanted to embarrass him, he just said that he understood - he extended grace, he was civil.   And, we can always seek to bring an amicable end to a situation with a potential for conflict.

 

Yeah, she'd like a "redo" - I know the feeling, so do you.   I'm thankful that we serve a God of second chances, who is for us, who is on our side, and will enable us to make a fresh start - His mercies are new every morning.