Gracious Stumbling

Who do you know who is a gracious stumbler?  No, I’m not talking physically, but in life.  Where are the role models for handling stumbles whether they be sin stumbles, failure stumbles (different than sin stumbles), mistake stumbles (again, different than sin stumbles) or any other kind of stumble? 

Who do you know who is a gracious stumbler?  No, I’m not talking physically, but in life.  Where are the role models for handling stumbles whether they be sin stumbles, failure stumbles (different than sin stumbles), mistake stumbles (again, different than sin stumbles) or any other kind of stumble? 
A few days ago, many varying opinions on Josh Hamilton came out after hearing about his relapse and stumble last January.  The opinions are across the spectrum and the conversation got me to thinking about role models and failure or mistakes, role models and sin.  It made me think about the fact that we value perfect role models.  We value and look up to those who don’t make mistakes, who don’t miss a beat, who (supposedly) succeed at all they do, who are “on”.  Then when they do fall whether it is a fall because of sin or just being human and making a mistake we rip them to shreds.  Wow.
I started to think that if I do not witness recovery from failure or redemption and grace after sin then I am doomed to be a person who self-loathes, pities and beats herself up if I’m not perfect.  Yes, we have a perfect God that we follow and not only did Jesus not sin but I don’t see him failing or making mistakes in Scripture.  So, I follow a perfect God who shows me grace and offers it to me in my sin, but I never got to see him recover from failure or a mistake.  This is hard for me.
So, if Jesus isn’t our role model for gracious stumbling (again, sin or not), then who is and what do we expect of him or her?
I would love dialogue on this.  This is an open ended entry.  Thoughts?….