Articles
Stop Digging
We’ve all heard the sage advice: The first thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is stop digging. What does this little maxim mean?
It implies that an original mistake is often compounded by trying to resolve it in an unwise way. Thus, we make matters worse by not dealing with the issue forthrightly. We may be more concerned with adverse publicity or protecting our reputation than effectively solving the problem.
Denial, defensive attacks, half-hearted apologies, blaming others and making excuses are all shovels with which we keep digging. For example, attempting to elude the police always makes the hole deeper, yet live-action law enforcement programs repeatedly show criminals running from the cops over nothing more than a suspended license or an outdated tag.
How do we stop digging? First by owning up to the error and taking responsibility for it. We have an innate dread of confronting our sins. We often rationalize our mistake to quiet our conscience, so it is difficult to confront the reality of our guilt. There is liberation in saying, “Yes, I did it and I am ashamed of myself.” Such will usually disarm critics and secure the favor of others.
Secondly, repentance – a change of course and willingness to make amends – begins to refill the hole so that all can move forward. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas 5:16). Do not turn a pothole into a sinkhole. Stop digging, fill it in and move on.
