On Multiplying Mistakes – Sunday, November 01, 1953
Perhaps we have all had the experience of traveling in strange territory, of trying to find a place we haven’t been before, and of turning off the right road—and then somehow sensing that we had turned off the right road. But despite the warning sense within us, we may doggedly have pursued the wrong road until we arrived at a dead end, or until we had gone so far that we had lost much time and had much distance to re-trace.
There are many ways in which men may find themselves on wrong roads, and seemingly there are many reasons why they don’t sooner turn back to the right one: sometimes because of stubbornness, of pride or perverseness; sometimes because of the fallacy of supposing that if a person has taken one wrong step he had just as well take two; that if he has slipped somewhat he had just as well slip farther; that if he has made one mistake, it doesn’t matter too much if he makes more.
These are all flagrant fallacies that cause carelessness to lead to more carelessness, misconduct to more misconduct, to the ultimate hardening of habits, and to heartbreak and unhappiness. It was said of the prodigal son that he “came to himself.”1
But it was only after he had gone a long way in the wrong direction and after he had lost his inheritance and his self-respect. If those who have erred would come to themselves sooner, they wouldn’t have so far to return. There is no reason why a man who has made a mistake should multiply his mistakes.
The sooner a wrong course is corrected, the less the time lost, and the less the penalty imposed, and the sooner is found the peace that comes with the consciousness of being on the right road. Let no foolish pride, no stubborn perverseness cause delay in correcting a wrong course.
To recall the words of William James: Men “can alter their lives by altering their attitudes . . .” Let false pride be pushed aside; let the blessed principle of repentance enter the picture; let men come to themselves sooner, wherever they are—for the awareness of moving in the right direction, after having moved in a wrong one, is a wonderful awareness.
1Luke 15:17.
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November 01, 1953
Broadcast Number ,1263