Just Don’t Fall

This morning I shared the waiting room with a chatty elderly couple. I politely pretended not to hear their conversation, but soon it became more than time-passing rambling.

“Everything would be different if he hadn’t fallen,” she said. Her husband nodded in silent agreement.

“And Eleanor. If only she hadn’t tried to put on her pants standing on one leg.” The conversation continued, listing the various people she could name who would still be in good health (or still be around at all) if they hadn’t fallen.

“Even just a little fall. That’s the key to everything. Just don’t fall.”

As a relatively healthy, flexible, young-ish woman, the conversation was intially simply an education in geriatric concerns.

But that last sentence really struck me. “Just don’t fall.”

It really is the key to everything. In a spiritual sense too. How many people can you think of (perhaps looking no further than the mirror) who are no longer what they used to be because at some point they took a spiritual tumble? Even the original sin described in Genesis 3 is referred to as “The Fall of Man.”

First we ‘fall’ into temptation. It could be any number of things; poor food choices, poor entertainment choices, poor relationship choices. Then we fall into sin–you know the categories–lust, sloth, gluttony, envy…

Even just a little ‘trip’ can throw us unexpectedly off-balance. Often, we recover and gratefully wander on our way, determined to be more sure-footed.

But sometimes those little stumbles send us barreling headlong into disaster, unable to right ourselves even as we see the ground come rushing toward us. Those falls often have more lasting consequences; injuries or scars that we carry around for a long time, a silent testimony of our clumsiness.

There are the obvious things we can do to help prevent physical falls: remove obstacles from our path, take time to see where our feet will fall (literally “watch your step”), exercise to help maintain equilibrium and stability, find someone to lean on if the way is particularly rough or rocky.

The same is true of our spiritual lives: avoid obstacles of temptation, be intentional about where and how and with whom we spend time, and exercise spiritual disciplines such as prayer and studying scripture to maintain our spiritual equilibrium, and leaning on others for spiritual support and accountability.

Most importantly, God promises to uphold us if we’re on a path that leads to Him.

If the LORD delights in a man’s way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37:23-24

It’s the time of year we become more mindful of how we want to conduct ourselves, where we want to go. While we’re making plans and trying to keep ‘resolutions,’ try to remember those three little words. No matter how uneven the ground seems, or how rocky the trail, as we walk beside the Lord, He’ll ensure that we “just don’t fall.”

2 Responses to Just Don’t Fall
  1. Erin
    January 12, 2010 | 4:21 pm

    What a wonderful post. As a former doctor, I’ve seen little falls that absolutely devastated people’s lives. The same can be said spiritually and I think that it is important to remind ourselves that we must avoid or learn to recognize those situations where “the little falls” can happen.

  2. pam
    January 12, 2010 | 6:23 pm

    Thanks for the encouragement as always.