Daredevils take risks that can be fatal, but playing safe all the time is a boring way to live. If we discover the best path to walk, we can get there without the fear of falling.
Daredevils don’t take dares.
They give them instead, by going first, daring others to follow. Curiosity and seeking pleasure took me close to a tragic fall. I broke a toe turning flips off a diving board. Snow skiing, I broke my shoulder. Other than that, the only thing I broke was my pride.
An umbrella worked for Mary Poppins.
As a young teenager, I jumped off the roof to see if an umbrella would work like a parachute. Don’t laugh. It didn’t work for me work for me like it did for Mary Poppins. My umbrella collapsed upward and left me speeding to the ground like a rock. I didn’t bounce, but I rolled, dusted myself off, and knew I wouldn’t try that again.
I’ve never walked a tightrope.
I did walk the top edge of a twelve-foot-long 2 x 10 that supported a homemade swing. One end was attached to the house, the other to a tree. As I approached the middle, the board began to sway. I lost my balance and took a flying leap eight feet to the ground.
Tightrope walkers have shoes with soft soles that let their feet wrap around the rope. I was wearing street shoes, not even tennis shoes. I had easily walked the edge of a 2 x 4 when rested on the ground. The big problem with the 2 x 10 was being so far above the ground.
To conquer my fear of falling, I stepped out again.
This time, I held my arms out straight to help my balance—like I’d seen tightrope walkers in the circus do. When the middle began to sway, I relaxed and didn’t overcompensate. All I had to do was take one more step. Then another and another. When I reached the other side, I knew I could do it again. And I did.
If we have God with us as we take each step, we don’t have to worry about losing our balance. He won’t let our feet slip.
The steps of righteous people are directed by the Lord, and they love to walk with him. They may stumble, but they won’t fall flat, because God will help them up. — Psalm 37:23–24