Used to really love the quote “I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong but I wasn’t”. I hate being wrong and in my grain trading profession I am given plenty of opportunities to be wrong and a lot of times I take full advantage of those opportunities. I likely am in the only profession outside of a politics where I can be wrong as many times as I am and still keep my job.
There are times I “know” the markets are going to react a certain way and they do, there are other times I “know” and they don’t, the markets don’t listen to me they have their own reasons for running contrary to my prognostications. Then are other times I “know”, and then I begin to think I am wrong, only to be proven I was originally right but after I have liquidated my position at a loss. I didn’t have the courage for my conviction.
Harold Camping was wrong, the rapture didn’t happen last Saturday as he had predicted. As a mistake making expert I can tell you that looks like a big one. Big ones in my industry are referred to as “career ending mistakes”. That could be the case for this preacher as Mr. Camping has been the subject of ridicule and laughter from many. Many Christians before and after the predicted event were quoting scripture saying “no man knows”
Harold Camping said “I know” and I bet he did… as well as anyone can “know”… he was wrong. But this is not about his mistake.
Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, God told Jonah “I will destroy them” Jonah knew God could, Jonah also “knew” God would forgive them and not destroy them. Jonah knew it as much as anyone could know. After he would spend time and effort preaching the ills to come, Jonah would be wrong, a career ending mistake for prophets. God did forgive Nineveh so Jonah was right, later God destroyed Nineveh so the words that embarrassed Jonah were true also.
Jonah would have loved my quote.
Yes, Harold Camping got the “when” wrong, he didn’t know… but he is right, he told someone at the risk of being wrong, at the risk of embarrassment he spoke. Do you believe in the second coming of Jesus, In your life time?, In your grand children’s life time? Ever? Do you believe there is a heaven to obtain? Have you told anyone?
Paul said “pray that I might be bold…”
My biggest mistake… The days I fail to pray for courage for my convictions…
