God's Glory Church

“All this happened to them as examples, and it was written for our knowledge, because in our time the end of the age has come.” — 1 Corinthians 10:11

In order not to repeat in the future mistakes similar to those that destroyed the world economy in 1929 and 2008, the Library of Errors was founded in Edinburgh (Scotland). It has a collection of more than two thousand books for teaching new generations of economists. The library is a great example of how, according to its curators, “smart people keep doing stupid things.” Curators believe that the only way to build a strong economy is to learn from the mistakes of the past.

The Apostle Paul wrote in the Epistle to the Corinthians that in order to overcome temptations and gain spiritual strength, it is important to learn from the mistakes that God’s people made in the past. The apostle gave examples of events from the forty-year journey of the Israelites through the desert. The Jews fell into idolatry, debauchery, complained about God and rebelled against those whom He put in charge of them (1 Cor. 10:7-10). Paul mentioned these historical images so that his readers would not repeat the same mistakes in their lives (v. 11).

The Lord wants to help us. So, let’s learn from mistakes – our own and others’ – so that our heart is obedient to Him.

What warning should we remember if we are tempted to sin? How can we learn from our mistakes and those of others?

God, help me learn from my mistakes to become obedient to You.

Author: Marvin Williams