Learning From Mistakes

Most of us know Jay Z for his rap career (or at least his talented wife) but may not know that Mr. Carter is looking to become a sports agent. In a Vanity Fair interview, the successful artist admitted that he would be taking lessons he learned as a drug dealer and applying them to his new (legal) business venture. While his statements can be seen as controversial and have drawn criticism, Jay owns up to the fact that he made mistakes in his past and they do not hold him back. Mark Wahlberg has a similar dubious past and his Catholic faith has been influential in his journey on the road to redemption. Share this article about Jay Z and video interview with Wahlberg with young adults and use these discussion questions to talk about how we deal with our past mistakes:

  • What’s your reaction to these two men’s stories? How do they influence your view of your own past mistakes?
  • How have your mistakes — and the lessons you’ve learned from them — changed you? In what ways can you use these mistakes to your benefit?
  • What struggles do you have accepting your own misdeeds and the past mistakes of others? How can your faith help you with these struggles?