I fell today. Flat out, full-length, all the way to the ground. As I lay on the garage floor contemplating my predicament several thoughts ran through my mind. My first thought was about the lady in the commercial who called out, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” I could get up. At least I expected I would be able to get up.

The next thought was, “How did this happen?” I remember seeing the last step at the bottom of the stairs, the one I thought I was stepping to. That wasn’t it. There was one more step, but I was reaching for the floor. I got there.

As I lay there taking inventory of potential injuries, I considered why this happened. Even though I had breakfast in one hand and my briefcase in the other, that really wasn’t the cause. The real culprit was the darkness of the staircase. I had turned off the overhead light before starting down the steps. Although the garage door was opening allowing in the morning light, the car in the garage cast a shadow over that portion of the stairs.

I was aware of this danger and had taken care to lessen the risk of an accident. It was at this point that I noticed it. The light was out. The small night light that was positioned to shine at the foot of the stairs was dark. It had burned out. I don’t know how long it had been out. It could have been last month or it could have been yesterday. But when I needed it, it wasn’t there.

That’s when this thought came to mind, “let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). My previous precautions were not sufficient. My past experience was not enough. It didn’t matter that I had installed a light or that I had been up and down those stairs hundreds of times. Failing to maintain the light and making one misstep brought me crashing to the ground.

A similar danger exists in our spiritual lives. We can’t depend on our past precautions and preparations to keep us safe. There are many dangers that can cause us to stumble. We must diligently guard our steps. Keep the path clear of obstacles and make sure we walk in the light.