To Stumble and Fall

It’s one thing to walk along the path, and another to come across a traveler who’s broken, injured, and unable to walk.

Remember, the path is our homeward journey. This isn’t a tourist trip or a march into battle. Metaphors of the Good Samaritan abound. Here we encounter another doing the same thing as us. When we arrive beside a fellow pilgrim, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder. We are united, if only for a second. We are in step and share the common road.

But not everyone we meet can travel as fast, and some will need our help. Those who stumble and fall do not need condemnation, nor do they deserve it.

We may be companions for only part of the journey, but the important thing to remember is that we ALL make it home. It’s my job to make sure my wife and children make it home. I’m nothing more than a dutiful shepherd. So are you.

How horrifying to imagine someone who cannot get home.

When you were a child coming home from school, you expected seeing your house down the street or across a field of corn or wheat. Your pace quickened until you reached the door.

The ones who have fallen want nothing more than to arrive. Make sure they can share the joy of standing on the doorstep full of joy stepping inside.