Who among us has not made a mistake? I’ve made plenty. How grateful I’ve been for individuals who had patience with me and let me learn from those mistakes. The Bible teaches forbearance, or patient restraint in the face of another’s moral lapse, as a means of giving him the mental space to learn some needed lesson. 

Some of the most effective biblical leaders had to overcome temptations and misdeeds in order to learn the spiritual lessons necessary to fulfill their healing missions. For example, Moses killed a man; Peter abandoned Jesus at the crucifixion; and Paul persecuted Christians before his conversion. What if they had never been given the opportunity to learn and grow?

Each of us has the natural capacity to express forbearance and grace as a child of God.