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Apologies All Around!

  • June
  • 19

11:48 am Chit-chat, Christian living, Relationships

Apologies All Around!  “Love means never having to say you’re sorry,” is a famous quote from the film “Love Story”. Well! All I can say to that is RUBBISH. Complete and utter hogwash!

Yesterday was one of those days where it felt like all I did was eat humble pie and apologise.

The first time was at work, where a staff member failed to turn up at an appointment I’d booked. Turns out they’d quit – but hadn’t bothered to tell anybody, or make sure that somebody else covers their appointments. Technically, it wasn’t my fault, but it cast my organisation in a bad light, so I had to contact the people who were inconvenienced, and apologise on behalf of the organisation.

The next mistake was one I made, but it was genuinely that, a mistake. I had misunderstood a word on a form, so once again found myself apologising for the resulting mix-up.

Last but not least, was something I did when I got carried away by enthusiasm online. The people involved probably thought I was spamming, not realising my heart and motivations. So I sent an email to apologise and explain that what is really important to me is making connections and keeping the unity in the family of God, and that I didn’t mean to cause offence.

So why apologise? To maintain good relationships. That’s why I felt the need to apologise on behalf of my organisation, and for my own mistake and faux pas.

I don’t need to be always right. To me, having quality relationships is much more important. As Ephesians 4:2-3 says …Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Real love, Christian love, means having to say you’re sorry … even sometimes when it’s not your fault.



5 comments

Pretty cool post. I just stumbled upon your site and wanted to say
that I have really enjoyed browsing your posts. Any way
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you write again soon!

Posted by Sarah, on June 24th, 2009, at 11:05 am. #.

Hi Janine. I didn’t know you had a blog up and running for Footprints! This one is a great post. I’ve just started reading Gary Chapman’s the Five Languages of Apology which is an eye opening read. Look forward to more of your posts – but can’t find where I can subscribe to your RSS feed…. Blessings, Cath/SquiggleMum.

Posted by SquiggleMum, on July 13th, 2009, at 7:43 am. #.

It’s Janet, isn’t it?! Nothing makes an impression quite like getting a person’s name wrong! Apologies… mummy brain! Blessings, Cath.

Posted by SquiggleMum, on July 13th, 2009, at 12:32 pm. #.

LOL that’s okay Cath. I’m quite used to being called Janet, Jan, Janice, Janette, hey you….

Posted by Webmaster, on July 13th, 2009, at 3:24 pm. #.

I believe it’s a sign of true leadership when you can take the wrap for something. It shows you’re bigger than the thing that went wrong, that you can cover it, that you can suck it up, that it isn’t bigger than you are. We who belong to the Father have the greatest example of love covering a plethora of stuff-ups, os it could be said we learned from the best!
We think mistakes define us, but its how we deal with those mistakes – ours and others – that says who we really are.
Love Jo xxx

Posted by Jo Hilder, on July 31st, 2011, at 11:52 pm. #.

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