*The following article is an excerpt from Mikayla Briggs' book Love, Learn, Grow and was written during her final year of college* *WARNING: The following article is extremely nerdy. Please hold all of your cracks about my nerdiness until the end.* During my senior year of college, I took a microbiology class. A few weeks into the term, we completed multiple labs in which the professor gave us each two gram-negative and two gram-positive bacteria. We had to perform a boatload of diagnostic tests to determine their biochemical properties. At the time, the stakes were fairly low. The main purpose of the lab was to learn how to carry out the various tests in order to prepare us for the big leagues. Later on in the semester, we were required to take four unknown bacteria, two gram-negative and two gram-positive, and use the same diagnostic tests to figure out for ourselves which bacteria they were. This was an independent project worth half of an exam grade. The professor answered no questions from the students, as she wanted us to learn how to troubleshoot an experiment when things went wrong, just like biologists do in the real world. One night, a few classmates and I were in the lab performing our respective tests. Most of us were all working on step one of the procedure: gram staining a microscope slide to determine which of our given broths contained the negative and positive bacteria. To give you some background, gram stains are really hard. I will spare you the details, but there is a crucial step of the procedure which is highly susceptible to error, at least for me. Everyone in the class had to do their initial gram stains at least three times to get it right. Even then, mistakes happened often. Without exaggerating, the gram stain I performed that night was the most perfect stain I have ever done. I was sure the microscope slide would differentiate the broths and my experiment would be off to a flawless start. While drying my slide after washing off the final stain, the most horrific thing happened. As I pressed down on the drying paper, a dreadful snapping sound filled the room. The crunching of my microscope slide and my grade seemed to occur in slow motion. If it had cracked in the corner, everything would have been fine. But, the crack (of course) had to occur right smack in the middle of the slide, precisely the part I had to view under the microscope. It seemed completely unsalvageable. I would have to do another gram stain, and who knew if it would even be good enough to provide the results I needed? Then, something amazing happened. My lab mates started to laugh. Somehow, their laughter penetrated my mortification, and I began to laugh too. What were the odds that my perfect slide would break when I needed it the most? When my grade depended on it? I’m not sure. All I know is that it happened, and it probably happens to plenty of other biologists too. My lab mates laughed because, at some point or another in their undergraduate careers, they experienced similar things and knew how it felt. They also knew that they survived, and their grades didn’t suffer too much, despite the unfortunate event. I was able to place the broken slide on top of an intact microscope slide, put the pieces back together, and still obtain the results I needed. In addition to finding out what my sample bacterium was, I received even more important results from this experiment. While unpleasant at the time, mistakes are a part of life. And do you want to know the best part? We all make them. We can let our mistakes shut us down, or we can use them to connect with those around us and dole out grace. Our mistakes can bring us together, because no one is immune to the trials of this world. When you make a mistake, don’t shame yourself. Instead, find someone to bond with and give grace to. I also learned a little bit more about God’s role when it comes to our mistakes. Like my professor, sometimes we don’t get a straight answer from God. It can be frustrating when we ask God how to navigate a certain situation in order to avoid making a mistake or two, but we mess up anyway. I don’t think God sits up in heaven, maniacally rubs His hands together, and waits for us to screw everything up. When it comes to life, I think God gives us a lot of time at the wheel. He’s still present but trusts us enough to journey through life in freedom. All of the microbiology students wished our professor would answer our questions and guide us through the experiment, but I think she trusted that we learned enough from the first run-through to perform the tests on our own. She helped prepare us for the real world, and I believe God does the same. Another important lesson that came from this was that, more often than not, the pieces of our lives come back together much easier than we think they do. You know when you make a huge mistake that seems to screw up everything and you become overwhelmed with feelings of unworthiness? If you’re like me, a really big mistake can make it feel like you are unsalvageable. Yet, no sinful stain on your past is too great for God’s grace to wipe away. Somehow, I was able to put my microscope slide back together and use it. I think we are the same way. It is much easier than we think to put the pieces of our lives back together and make something of it. Up until the last day of the semester, my classmates joked about what happened that night. I wasn’t able to live it down; my lab mates called me “slide crusher.” When I sat down at our lab table, they yelled to the room, “Everyone, hide your microscope slides!” We all had a good laugh afterward. I found that this approach to life benefits everyone, because it brings people together, gathered around a table to share their mistakes and give each other grace. I invite you to become more comfortable with making mistakes. While we should not try to mess up, our flawed human condition beautifully highlights our need for our sweet Savior. I guarantee that if we lay our broken pieces at the feet of Jesus, He will pick them up, put them back together, lay them on top of His grace, and use them for His will in ways we could not have imagined. Questions for Reflection
Photocred: Wikimedia Commons
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