Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:00 — )
PROGRAM D-8200
As we pick up our story, Fran has just apologized to her mother for her unkind words, and thanked Jesus for his help and forgiveness when her phone rings again. Fran answers and discovers Bob is on the other end. “Oh, hi Bob. Yeah, kinda busy. What’s up?” she asks, feeling a little nervous.
“Friday night? No I’m afraid I can’t make it Friday night, Bob. I already have a commitment at church.” She tries to explain to Bob that continuing their relationship is not a good idea. As she hangs up the phone, she says to Jesus, “He didn’t understand. That was a little awkward, but at least it’s over.”
“Well, now I must go down to Al’s office to apologize.” As she arrives, he looks up and says, “Look, Fran, I’m doing the best I can do. Don’t start buggin’ me again. We’re gonna’ work overtime tonight…”
Fran interrupts him. “Al, please, I didn’t come to bug you. I came to apologize. I was way out of line talking to you like I did. I know they’ve cut back your headcount and you’re under tight budget restraints. It’s not your fault. I just took my frustrations out on you. I’m really sorry, Al.”
Al’s mouth is hanging open. He invites Fran to take a seat. “Well, at least you apologized. Everyone else is jumping down my throat, but you’re the only one to apologize. Thanks, Fran.”
“Well, I was wrong. Frankly, it was Jesus that caused me to see how badly I behaved, and it’s because of him that I came to apologize. One of the great things about being a Christian is that when we blow it badly, as I did with you, Jesus forgives us when we ask, and then helps us to recover,” Fran tries to explain it to Al.
“Well. . .whatever. I appreciate it. I will try to meet the deadline, Fran. I promise you, I’ll try,” he says.
“That’s all I ask. Keep me informed and I’ll stay in touch with the client,” Fran smiles at Al as she gets up to leave.
“You’re different, Fran, even when you yell at me,” Al says with a grin on his face.
As she walks back to her office, Fran says, “Jesus, you even use failure to bring glory to your name, don’t you? There you’ve gone and turned my ashes into beauty again. Thank you, Lord.”
That’s God’s specialty—taking brokenness and failure and turning it around. Failure is not the end of the road. It can become a new beginning as we learn and grow from the failures of our past.