By: Dr. Lynnette Simm
In September, the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah was celebrated and then ten days later, Yom Kippur. For the Jews these ten days are a time for celebration, reflection, and introspection. A New Year and a new start, which all led to the Day of Atonement and Repentance, Yom Kippur! During this time people are to reflect on their past sins and ask for forgiveness. Restitution should be given and received. Old sins and debts should be released so a new year can begin.
The idea of letting your past not define your present or future seems to be a hot topic these days, so ask yourselves, “When does our adulthood (maturity and experience) overcome our childhood (immaturity and impulsiveness)? When are we not seen as who we were, but who we have become? When will our mistakes be seen as scars in a battle we are fighting and winning, as proven by our behavior since?”
Some people are habitual in their mistakes/sin. They get caught up in the temptation, and the enemy just swallows them up. Some people are simply evil. We live in a fallen world where there is evil. Plain and simple. But some people make mistakes, either out of ignorance, naivety, stupidity or even from the enemy, YET they learn. They change. They mature. They seek forgiveness. For these people, when is the change enough? For example, a child steals from the local convenience store, and they are marked as a thief for life. A young adult is promiscuous, and they are labeled as loose and immoral for life. A student cheats on an exam, and they are branded as untrustworthy for life. FOR LIFE?
Why is it that when people “find out” how another person messed up, all their work since then is called into question? Why hasn’t the behavior since their transgression signaled a learning process? Like walking, we learn slowly and we do fall, but when we get up and learn, we are praised. When does that stop? Why does it stop? If we are to learn from our mistakes, why then are those mistakes held against us? This is not to say that there are not consequences for our actions. However, how can a person ever overcome their mistakes when others use their mistakes to solidify their character?
A person’s only solace comes from knowing that those who truly know them, know they have changed. That they were created anew in God’s image. In the Holy Bible, 2 Cor 5:17 tells us that anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away. But what most people forget is to read on to verse 18 which says, “we have been reconciled; therefore, are now commissioned to minister reconciliation for others.”
The New Year is coming for those of us who follow the Gregorian calendar. This next season, winter, is the time to shred the old and begin anew. We can all use this time to peel away our mistakes, guilt, and shame. Process what you have learned. Count all the blessings, even the small ones. Become the NEW CREATION our Lord intended us to be. Strip away the old and forgive. Let go of past mistakes and give others the ability to learn and earn your trust again. Allow yourself to be forgiven and give forgiveness. Let the old sins die and let people see you ANEW!
Dr. Lynnette Simm, who earned degrees in psychology and education, has been an educator for nearly twenty years. She has worked in corporate training, taught from preschool to graduate school, written curriculum for all age groups, worked on college accreditation, and served as the general education coordinator at a private college. She has taught in public schools, community college, and private universities. Dr. Simm also worked on behalf of teachers as she created and facilitated professional development seminars. She has been a professional contributor and freelance editor for several books and is the author of And The Day Came, an inspirational memoir published in 2016.