I walk a lot.

Given my clumsiness, I also tend to trip and fall a lot.

Sometimes I even fall when I’m standing still.

Saturday some girlfriends and I went to breakfast.  It was an incredible time of sharing.

But….

Before I even sat down, I fell.  Or, rather, when I tried to sit down I fell.

The waitress took us to a corner booth in the restaurant.  Everyone scooted in and took their places.  It was an L-shaped booth that I mistook for a U-shaped booth.  As the last one in, I tried to take my seat on the last curve of the non-existent U.

You know how it looks when someone pulls a chair out from under a person and when they sit and then fall arms go flailing, legs go up and there is a yell of surprise and confusion?  Yeah.  But in the middle of a restaurant.

Everyone saw it and even those who might not have seen it, heard it.  I fell hard and scraped and banged up the arm that futilely tried to save me.  It was cheap entertainment for my friends and the other patrons.

The fall was obvious.  Beyond obvious.  But what wasn’t so obvious was the pain that accompanied that fall.  I was physically hurt and my pride took a blow.  Even if you looked at my arm now, the outward appearance doesn’t tell the true story of the pain and swelling that is still going on inside.

My fall brought pain and humiliation.

It made me think about life in general.  If we know Jesus, we’re all walking along together in the same direction, heading to the Final Destination of Heaven.  We try to watch our step, but sometimes we get distracted and trip over rocks on the path.  Sometimes we’re able to catch ourselves before we fall on our faces.  But other times we just flat out fall.  Chair-out-from-under-you fall.  It might be loud like my fall in the restaurant.  Everyone around might notice.

And what ensues after that?  Pain.  Humiliation.  Maybe even abandonment.

The people that were once walking with us might walk away in embarrassment.  They might whisper about the fall, as if it could never happen to them.

But what if just one person stopped long enough to help us up and ask if we were all right?  What if they helped us wipe the dirt off our faces and dig out the gravel embedded in our hands?  What if they walked with us despite the pain and humiliation and even took on the whispers and judgment of others to get us back on our feet?

That’s exactly what Jesus did for us.  He came to earth to walk with us on this path.  He died for us, taking on all that sin and humiliation and judgment.  And He still does that.  Every. Single. Day.  When we fall, HE is the one that helps us up and asks if we are all right and nurses us back to health.  He gives us the ability to walk again.

What if we did that for each other?  What if WE were that person that doesn’t run away from the fallen?  What if we stopped long enough to extend a hand, a hug, a conversation over a cup of coffee?  Their fall might be obvious but their hidden pain and humiliation need tending to.  There may be a gaping wound inside that we can’t see if we turn our backs in judgment.  They may truly be bleeding internally and we could be the one that supplies the ointment, the dressing for that injury.

Let’s be compassionate healers that get to be part of the miracle of restoration, a beauty that judgmental whisperers will never be able to witness.

And please, please if you go to the Railroad Cafe in Livermore, know that the booth in the far right corner is an L and not a U!  You can learn from my fall without having to fall yourself…:-)

Galatians 6:1 – Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Isaiah 53:5 – But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.