Falling Down

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against." Luke 2:34

It started out innocent enough with Dave Badoub. Dave was one of those guys that was always goofing around. I don't think I ever saw him without a grin plastered on his face from ear to ear. Scott Stearns and I would always egg him on before class and get him to blurt out some really off the wall comments that would keep Scott and I in stitches.

As with any subtle addiction at seventeen, you had to keep "upping the ante" when it comes to humor and excitement. So to keep it fresh, Scott or I would always try to "one up" each other when it came to creative ideas to keep us laughing at Dave's expense. As hard as we tried, we could never hurt Dave's feelings. Every time we tried to insult him, he would laugh in our faces.

One day we were all standing by the balcony railing in front of our class on the second floor of the school. While pushing Dave back and forth, I got this bright idea. "Hey Scott. Why don't we hang Badoub over the railing by his ankles?" "Hey yeah" said Scott. "That sounds like a great idea." Of course Dave started giggling and said, "Oh yeah, right! Like you'd really do that." So in one fell swoop, Scott and I each grabbed an ankle and flung Dave over the railing. His laughs quickly turned into screams as we shook him up and down in unison. I could hear some guys in the hallways laughing and some girls gasping in shock. Just then I looked up and saw the horrified face of Mr. Muttolo on the bridge from the other building.

After the initial, "Hey!" I could tell Mr. Muttolo wanted to scream at us in anger but restrained himself for fear we'd drop Dave if he scared us. So he walks very quickly across the bridge in our direction making gentle hand motions to pull him up while mouthing "Stop". Believe it or not, Badoub was actually laughing while we pulled him up with his beet red face. It would be an understatement to say we got in trouble. The only mitigating circumstance was that I had never been in trouble before. I got off easy, picking up trash at lunch time for a week.

What troubles me today as a parent are the choices my children will make, put in the same situation as I was. My better judgment was clouded and I was obviously not thinking straight as I foolishly risked another person's life for the sake of coolness. If Dave had fallen to a paralyzing injury or death, in addition to scarring my future, I would have sentenced my friend Scott to a lifetime of nightmares.

Sin can be very insidious and sneak up on us when we least expect it. That incident started off with no intention of committing a crime or violence against Dave. The choice was made in a split second and I seriously doubt I would have made it in any other context. For example greed, lust and envy don't usually come at us with horns, pitchfork and tail. In the beginning we can see them as our career, love and ambition. If we don't have a mark to shoot for in eternity, these virtues can turn into addictions that can never be ultimately satiated without God.

"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy." Jude 1:24

Through his death on a cross and his resurrection from death, Jesus Christ made a way for us to overcome evil and enter Heaven for eternity. Your salvation has nothing to do with your performance or what a good person you are. You and I are all perfect sinners and our faith in Jesus alone will forgive us for our poor decisions and give us the Holy Spirit to guide us in our future ones until we leave this world.

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We all fall down. My prayer for my children is that they have the faith to rise again.