Opportunities To Be Bad

 Year 8-Day 262: Today, I am grateful for opportunities to be bad. 

Most of us like feeling confident and comfortable in our work. It reduces stress when we know what we are doing. Mama Ina Mae's voice will forever echo in my ear, "Learn something new every day." Mama is never afraid to try something new. She always encouraged us to be fearless. "You'll never know until you try." She would love this quote, 

"Be brave enough to be bad at something new." - Jon Acuff

Isn't that great? I've never seen it framed quite that way. It does take courage and confidence to be bad at something new. Something new means it is something not mastered. Trying new things is good for our souls. It's okay to be bad at something as long as you keep improving. 

My sweet friend (and our art teacher) often repeats this quote: 

“We all have 10,000 bad drawings in us. The sooner we get them out the better.” -Walt Stanchfield 

It follows the same line of thinking. If you want to be a great artist... or even an average one... start drawing. I figure I need to live to be about 103 to get all of my bad drawings out, but I love idea of improving with practice. 

We don't have to get it "just right" ever time. We have to want to improve ... and we have to keep trying. The bad drawings teach us, too. 

As we seek to follow Jesus, we worry about getting it right. Praise God for his mercy that doesn't expect perfection. He does expect us to examine our hearts, minds and motives. He knows our deepest thoughts. Disciple life means learning to chase the heart of the Master. It isn't a check list of do's and don'ts. It isn't perfecting some lines in a play. It is learning to walk closer to the heart of Jesus every day. 

"Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him." -Colossians 3:10

We will mess up on occasion, but in those moments we will grow and learn. His love is unconditional, not based on our goodness... or our badness. He refines us with his patient love. 

Today, I am grateful for opportunities to be bad.