I started Monday with a trip to the doctor. There is nothing wrong. I was there for my 250,000 mile checkup. Because I have reached my “golden years” they asked me some unfamiliar questions.

The question that threw me off was, “have you fallen recently?” I try not to fall. In the years since I was a younger man, gravity has become stronger. In High School I could dunk a volleyball. I never could get enough air to dunk a basketball, but I was so close. I could run like the wind. I got knocked down a great deal on Friday nights. Yes, I played football! Now if I were to try to jump at all, the results would be hilariously embarrassing. And the only wind I feel now is the kind that God sends. Now, I am watching football.

My current reality is I will miss a step on the ladder. I get tangled up with all the plants on the floor of my greenhouse. I know I have too many plants, because my 10’ x 20’ green house is full. I stumble but I don’t fall. I spill things in the kitchen, but I don’t fall. I trip sometimes but I don’t fall. Yet.

I know why they asked the question. At my age, that hurt to type, falls become an issue. There are many reasons a person might fall and there are definite consequences of falling.

I started thinking about falling. Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall and bad things happened. He was so smashed up all the governmental programs and personnel could not put him back together. When the stock market falls my wallet and future are imperiled. There are times clothes will fall, that is called a wardrobe malfunction. We used to call it flashing, but us ancient people are not cultured, civilized, or politically correct.

Falling can be good. If a few pounds fall off, that is good. Your numbers might fall and that would be another good thing. What about falling in love? That can be a good, bad, or complicated thing.

There is a whole season dedicated to fall. It is called fall. I remind people it is not called rake, mulch, or burn. It is called fall, and the leaves are beautiful and obedient. Leave the leaves in their fallen condition, your lawn will thank you in the spring. I can’t verify what your neighbors might think about it, but the grass will love it.

Falling is also theological. Since the Garden of Eden, we humans are said to be in a fallen state because of sin. There is one more theological insight about falling.

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Have you fallen recently?