-
New Your City Mayor Admits Mistake And Silences ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009 (message contributor)
New York City Mayor Admits Mistake and Silences Reporters
Back in 1980 New York City Mayor Ed Koch appeared on a local news program in the middle of the city’s financial crisis. Koch had spent over a quarter of a million dollars to put up bike lanes in Manhattan, and they turned out to be a disaster. Cars were driving in the bike lanes, pedestrians were walking in the them, and bikers were getting crowded out. It was a mess and many people in New York were irate about it.
Koch was coming up for re-election, so a handful of journalists cornered him on this show, planning to tear him to pieces for spending money foolishly when the city was nearly broke. One reporter said, "Mayor, in light of the financial difficulties New York City is facing, how could you possibly justify wasting $300,000 on bike lanes?"
The stage was set for a half-hour confrontation. Instead, Koch said, "It was a terrible idea. I thought it would work, but it didn’t. It was one of the worst mistakes I ever made." Then he stopped. None of the other journalists knew what to say or do. They were expecting him to squirm and make excuses, but he didn’t even try.
The next journalist stammered and said, "But Mayor Koch, how could you do this?"
Koch said, "I already told you. It was a stupid idea. It didn’t work." Then he stopped.
There was still 26 minutes left to go on the news show, and the reporters had to find something else to talk about.
Because he was willing to accept that it was wrong… he won both Democratic AND Republican support.
When we acknowledge that certain things are wrong in our lives, and we determine not to live like that anymore then we get something far more important than the support of Democrats or Republicans. We get God’s support. And we get that support because we’ve determined to live HOLY lives. Lives that have been “set apart” with no excuses.
From a sermon by Jeff Strite, B Imitators, 11/1/2009
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
It Was 1741, And An Old Man Was Wandering The ...
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 6, 2007
It was 1741, and an old man was wandering the streets of London. His name was George Frederick Handel. At this point, he was angry at life. His mind kept going back to the time when he was famous and had the applause of royalty and the elite of London. But now his mind was full of despair and ...read more
-
65279;i've Read That Michelangelo, The Great ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Durbin on Feb 16, 2003
I’ve read that Michelangelo, the great sculptor and painter, was pushing a heavy rock up a small incline to his work area so that he could do some sculpting. A neighbor watched him for over an hour as he worked to get this rock in place. Finally he asked, "Michelangelo, why do you labor ...read more
-
I Remember Back In The Times Of The Civil Rights ...
Contributed by Fred Mueller on Dec 16, 2004
I remember back in the times of the Civil Rights movement, psychologists were studying bigotry and prejudice. They found that a way of getting people to change their attitudes was to get them to say something unbigoted. Thus if you could get people to say that whites and blacks are equal and ...read more
-
Consider The Following Email Recently Sent To Me ... PRO
Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jan 13, 2005
Consider the following email recently sent to me titled "WORDS WOMEN USE." "FINE." This is the word women use to end an argument when they feel they are right and you need to shut up. Never use "fine" to describe how a woman looks——this will cause you to have one of those arguments. "FIVE ...read more
-
Story Is Told About An Old Farm Couple Who Were ... PRO
Contributed by Denn Guptill on Feb 17, 2003
Story is told about an old farm couple who were driving along in their pickup and she says, “We never sit all snuggled up in the truck like we used to.” He looks over at her and replies “I haven’t moved” When we discover as a church or as individual ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Three Biggest Blunders In The Bible
Contributed by Bruce Lee on Aug 22, 2014
Learn from the biggest blunders in the bible and don't make the same mistakes in your life.
-
Mistakes - We All Make Them!
Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 25, 2020
I have taken some of my mistakes, & added some of yours - mixed them all together and have reached the conclusion that there are at least 4 major categories of mistakes, and all 4 of them are found in the Bible.
-
The Three Little Pigs: A Short Devotional Thought.
Contributed by Peter Pilt on Apr 19, 2019
Using the story of the Three Little Pigs to examine some common mistakes that Christians make.
-
Want Greatness? Don't Let Past Mistakes Define You
Contributed by Ezekiel Ette on Oct 29, 2017
Using an example of Moses we can never allow our past mistakes to be our limitation.
-
What’s So Amazing About Grace? Series
Contributed by Paul Barreca on Apr 12, 2013
This story of Judah and Tamar reminds us that God’s grace comes in spite of our sin - even through our sin. Grace overcomes the mess that we make of our lives and provides us with something that we could never provide for ourselves.