During the last couple of weeks, there have been numerous reports of family members, friends and associates falling. Some of the falls were more serious than others. In some cases, persons had to visit the doctor and spend time in the hospital to determine the severity of the injury. In other cases, persons lay alone for a long period of time before they were found and treated.

One reason I write about falls in this message is because of the recent reports or announcements about love ones being injured. A second reason I write this message is to inform and caution all age groups about the severity of falling.  Therefore, we must become conscious of our environment and surroundings at all times and slow down.

According to World Health Organization, a fall is defined as an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level. My definition of a fall is when a person loses his/her balance or equilibrium and hits the ground or floor.

Here are some facts about falls according to World Health Organization:

• Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide
• Each year an estimated 684,000 individuals die from falls globally of which 80% are in low-and middle-income countries
• Adults older than 60 years of age suffer the greatest number of fatal falls
• 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention occur each year
• Prevention strategies should emphasize education, training, creating safer environments, prioritizing fall related research and establishing effective procedures for reduce risk

From a personal perspective, I believe we must slow down and be cognizant of potential dangers.  I must confess that the hardest fall I have ever had was during last year, 2022. The reason for the fall was simply because I was in too big of a hurry and was not aware of a stake in the ground. Once you fall, a greater challenge may be getting up and on one’s feet again. My blessing was that I had a dear friend close by who went into fervent prayer.

Falls are not limited to persons 60 and over only. Children are also considered a high risk because of their willingness to take chances and risks. Some consider it a part of the maturing process when children fall. What we do know is that a young person heals faster from an injurious fall than and elderly person.

For persons who live alone, I would recommend highly that you invest in some type of emergency alert system. I would further recommend that a person living alone be in conversation with a person at least once or twice a day. One of my dear friends who lives alone had fallen on the floor and lay there for a couple of days. Imagine being conscious, but not having the strength to get to a telephone or alarm system.

Another dear friend had fallen in his back yard and remained there for hours before someone found him. It was determined he had suffered a mild stroke, but the good news is he will recover fully. He spent days in the hospital.

There are other cases, but I believe you get the point.

There is another type of fall we should aways be aware of, sin. As Christians we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We have a tendency to beat up on ourselves when we fall in this area. What we must remember is that God is a forgiving God and a God of second chances. The Bible says we are “all” sinners and prone to failure, but in Christ we can become overcomers.

Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again.” Though we fall over and over again, by God’s grace we can rise from undefeated and be victorious.  

Psalm 37:24 also says, “Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.”                  

I am sure most of us have heard the song by Donnie McClurkin entitled, “We Fall Down.” Some of the words are: “We fall down, but we get up. For a saint is just a sinner who fell down. But we couldn’t stay there and got up.” As children of the most High, we must never forget, “Though you are pressed on every side you are not crushed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Aren’t you glad, my brothers and sisters in Christ, that God will pick us up when we have a physical or spiritual fall.

Not a sermon, just my thoughts!

Robert Earl Slade, Pastor