“You need to have the courage to make a million mistakes.” 

This was the advice we received in our language acquisition training before we left for the field, and it’s probably the thing that has stuck with me the most from that intense period of learning. In order to really learn a language, you have to be willing to put yourself out there and mess up, to make a million mistakes. And oh, have I ever. I’ve said things that made my friends fall to the floor in laughter, look at me like I’m crazy, or pull me aside and tell me how inappropriate my choice of words was. 

Publicly making a fool of myself over and over again trained me well. Failing, making mistakes, looking foolish, all became a very normal part of my life.  

Courage to make mistakes is not only a critical characteristic of a language learner, but so often front-line ministry requires the same sort of courage. Courage to try a program that might fail. Courage to bring up the topic of faith that might look foolish.  

Think of the courage it took for Peter to climb out of the boat and walk toward Jesus on the water. It had been a long night out on the sea, spent fighting against strong winds and waves. Peter wasn’t stepping out onto a clear, glassy sea, but into the churning, angry waves. What courage it took for Peter to take that first step. Of course, we know how the story goes. Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and in his fear begins to sink. Peter’s failure provided the perfect opportunity for him to experience God’s saving grace. But he first needed the courage to try. 

As the wise men wrote in the book of Proverbs, “the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes” (24:16). Having the courage to take risks means we might sometimes fail, but God promises that our failure is not the end of the story.