Without doubt, one of the dumbest things we can ever do is to repeat the same mistake over and over again. Why do we do that?! It didn’t work the first fifteen times I tried it, so why not give it another spin, just to see?

King Charles I of England repeatedly ignored Parliament, dissolved it multiple times, and governed autocratically. Despite warnings and uprisings, he continued to assert his ‘divine right’ and levied taxes without consent. His refusal to change course—even after civil war erupted—led to his trial and execution in 1649. Now, his downfall wasn’t sudden. It was the culmination of repeated prideful mistakes, ignoring wise counsel, provoking national ruin.

Of course, you don’t have to be a king to make repeated blunders. That prideful refusal to admit we were wrong, leading us into the same mistake yet again, is a pretty universal human trait.

The way people treat their spouse, repeatedly belittling them, repeatedly taking them for granted, repeatedly spitting out venom and criticism instead of love and encouragement, leads to more divorces than anyone could ever count. Let’s face it, repeating the same mistake over and over again is downright ugly. So, here’s a graphic image (from the Bible, would you believe?) in case you have some bad habit that needs breaking:

Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, a fool does the same foolish things again and again.

If that doesn’t paint a repugnant picture of repeating the same mistakes again and again, I don’t know what will.

Do yourself a favour, do everyone else in your life a favour. Stop playing the fool. Stop doing the same foolish things again and again. Don’t be that dog that returns to its vomit.

Because, that’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.