FALLING OFF THE WAGON

Y'all try not to be jealous, but … I am the Queen of Klutz.  Most of my acquaintances know that I accidentally knock elbows, knees, and forehead all over my house, into walls and into furniture.  I’ve fallen off chairs, off my bicycle, off my front porch into a rose bush, and I even fell into an open grave once.  Don’t ask.

I’ve also learned that it’s possible to fall in other ways.  Falling off the proverbial “wagon” means, in my case, falling off a carefully-constructed diet plan.  This year I’ve been eating almost exclusively healthy food.  Yet when confronted with a huge chocolate cake, I tripped over its 6-foot shadow and fell face first into that pile of gooey wonderfulness.  That’s certainly not MY fault.  Is it?  Surely, being klutzy, and falling off things into other things, can be blamed upon The Fall!?  Good, we agree, now I feel better.

HowEVer … it’s occurred to me that sometimes, maybe, perchance … I don’t just fall off the wagon, nor am I pushed off by enablers with ornery tendencies.  I hate to say it out loud, but there are those rare times when instead of falling, I actually dive into temptations and sins headfirst, whooping with glee all the way down, like extreme bungee-cord jumping.  I hear certain people (sometimes just my own voice) chirp to me, “ya gotta have fun sometimes!”   And shoving away any common sense at all, I yell, “okay!!” and off I leap into my sin du’jour where wallowing commences.

I don’t think there’s anything in Scripture specifically against pastry sin (well, okay, there’s gluttony).  There’s plenty about using discernment in hanging out with (alleged) friends who may enjoy leading me astray (Proverbs 22:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:33).  Isn’t it interesting how we want to blame somebody else?  How about Eve!  Because just as she saw and lusted, then dove headlong into sin, I’m also prone to leaping off my sanctification wagon.  Yeah, it’s all her fault.

My loving, patient Lord Jesus, although it’s depressing to know that sometimes I obstinately choose to sin, it’s so mega-comforting to know that You understand.  You were tempted because You shared in flesh and blood, yet without sin (Hebrews 2:18).  My Jesus, please cause me, on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis to choose NOT to dive into sin, but into your grace.  Help me not to walk according to the flesh, but by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).  And how I praise You for the blessed reminder that there is now no condemnation in You, because You have set me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).  Just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for me from within, so do You intercede for me from above (Romans 8:26, 34).  As I walk with You through the rest of my days, I anticipate less spiritual klutziness, so no more blaming allowed!

CHIRPING BIRDS AND BUSTED BOTTLES

In my humble opinion, this is the proper way to walk a pup -- in the seasonally glorious woods, with fresh air, chirping birds, bubbling brooks, Bambi, munchkins, and most important, convenient benches for tired old people with hyperactive pups, all of whom require copious amounts of sugar-saturated energy snacks.


As opposed to ... traipsing down the sidewalk on our boulevard where people in wannabe racecars shoot off the nearby highway, spasming along at warp speed, tossing out bottles of who-knows-what (although I do) which shatter all over driveways and sidewalks. ’Tis certainly a different type of exercise for us, less like sauntering, more like frantic hopscotching, avoiding spiked and splintery shards scattered about, capable of shredding even the thickest of athletic shoes, and certainly delicate wee puppy paws.

 

Upon consideration, is anyone’s life really like the Bambi-walk through the woods? Nah. Most people’s lives, occasionally or frequently, resemble the hopscotch through the city’s shards. Not to sound cheerless, but diligence is necessary in maneuvering through life. And when we insist on powering through on our own wisdom, well, things can get messy really fast. At least that’s been true in my own life. More than once. Slowwwww learner.

 

What’s my point? Well, as I’m walking our little Minnie pup through the obstacle-shard-course, from my tall long-legged human vantage point, I have a pretty good view of the surrounding area. Short-legged puppy’s vantage point is spectacularly limited, and she could care less about danger. Her goal in life is to smell every blade of grass and pee on it. 

 

So here’s my point -- it’s my job to maneuver her safely through her walk, by guiding and sometimes pulling her away from the shards aiming to cause her harm. I want her to pay more attention to me than she does to peeing on things. Does Minnie WANT to be guided by me? No, she wants to do her thing, when and how she wants to do it. Does that behavior sound familiar? Yes, and I’m ashamed of myself. Because even at my somewhat advanced age, I still find myself lurching away from the guidance of the Holy Spirit, demanding to do things my own way, because hey! I’m gonna do what I want. That’s what happens when I forget the velvety admonition that “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Proverbs 16:18).

 

My all-seeing and all-knowing God, forgive me for refusing to stop and consider that You see things that I cannot, things that You desire to guide me through and around, so that I’m not hurt. No doubt You’ll take me places I’d rather not go for my good and Your glory, but please cause me to pay more attention to You than on my sensory miscalculations. Remind me as often as necessary in Your Word how much you un-love pride and self-sufficiency, and how much You really love humility of heart and trust in You (Proverbs 3:5-6). I am full of praise as You lead me to become less selfish and more faithful as You walk me through the rest of my life.