At some time, we’ve all witnessed a baby taking his or her first steps. Is there anything more dismaying than to see the face of that “toddler-to-be” trying to take that first step? I say “tries to” because most often the first attempt at that first step is not successful. Oftentimes, it ends with a verbal reaction which lets everyone know that it didn’t work out. Yet, the victory comes when with repeated trials the infant is able to take that first step and stay upright, though sometimes only for a moment. However, that’s usually enough to encourage the infant to try again. Likewise, just as there is often a verbal response of crying to the failure of the first attempt to walk, when the very first step is successful, the infant giggles or has a happy smile.
It’s a confidence builder! How like Christianity that is. When a person accepts Christ as Lord of his or her life, he or she might soon stumble and fall. Just as other successful ventures in our lives, Christianity has to be accepted and learned, and with the learning comes better obedience, comparable to the walking infant’s better success. Neither the infant who wants to walk nor the person who desires to practice Christianity will succeed instantly.
In both cases, the one involved must be active in acquiring the desired result. Just because the infant falls doesn’t mean that he will stay down. He’ll get up and try again and again until he is successful. Just so with the one who is an infant in Christ. Obeying the steps to salvation is not enough to keep a Christian faithful. A Christian must know what God expects of him or her and be willing to do what God says. Becoming a Christian does not keep one from sinning. So, as the one young in the faith stumbles and falls, he or she must obey God’s laws regarding forgiveness and faithfulness.
Jesus taught a lesson on falling in the Parable of the Sower. He said, “They [that is the seed] on the rock are they which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; these have no root, who for awhile believe and, in time of temptation, fall away.” How many times we see this happen. By virtue of the fact that he offers more enticing “things” that make folks feel good, Satan’s power over them is usually much greater than the rules that God has set. God’s laws are strict and sometimes demanding of our time and effort.
There is no earthly happiness to compare with that of one who has put his trust in the Lord and lives by His rules. The Psalmist said, “Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord, his God” (Psalm 146:5). Jesus taught, “I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you; if you know these things, you will be happy if you do them” (John 13:15ff).
One young in the faith is not going to know everything about God’s rules, and nor is he or she going to be free of the burden of sin, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Just as the infant cannot learn to walk without taking steps and falling, a Christian must know God’s will for his life and then obey it in order to stay upright and not fall into Satan’s “sin trap.”
Even mature Christians will never be perfect. After all, we’re human, and there is no perfect human. Yet, Christians have the reassurance that if they get up, shake themselves off, ask for forgiveness and continue faithfully on the Christian journey by walking in God’s ways, there is awaiting a reward that is worth giving up all earthly things to obtain. May you be faithful in learning to walk in God’s way and receive His eternal blessing.
