Every day, a soldier falls;
Some fall on the path
Some fall off the track
Every day, other soldiers pass
Some hurriedly jump across
Apathetic, looking the other way
Some sneer and stamp and stab
An already wounded soldier
Are you a brother’s killer or keeper?

Despite being very old, Christianity isn’t and hasn’t always been the most popular choice. It is a tough race, not helped by the fact that many can’t wait to see a Christian fall. It provides them more fuel to the fire that Christianity is what it isn’t. I don’t know what is there to celebrate in the fall of any, whatever the reason. Sad as it may sound, there are those who are happy that another soldier has fallen off. Worse still is when a standing soldier strikes a fallen soldier.

For as long as we live on this continuously deteriorating planet, we are all vulnerable. It is written that in the latter days, many will fall away, including those who have walked with shoes of role models. Every day, people are falling away from the faith. We don’t have the statistics because many of them just don’t turn up to Church anymore. They quit attending and hanging out with Christian friends. We don’t know them because we are not close to them and those who are close don’t know how to respond. A lot of us condemn their “poor choices” but such choices, theirs and ours, break the Father’s heart.

Instead of condemnation, we ought to pray for them. Praying for them takes the sting off the pain and disappointment of their choices so I don’t take it personal. I also realized that it positions me to discern the heart of the Father and pray in specific terms for the fallen, in the way the Holy Spirit inspires. If there is anytime the fallen needs prayer most, it is when they have become so comfortable to put it out there. In fact, the best time to pray for anyone is as often as we can, as often as we pray for ourselves. Long before anything goes wrong, we should be covering those we love in prayers and with encouragement.

Let’s not be deceived by our estimation of how well or how poorly someone is doing. Everybody needs encouragement every once in a while. Praise is better given without asking, and way better than looking back and wishing it had been given before it’s too late. Be an encouragement to someone: you never know how much it helps them to hang in there and keep believing, trusting, hoping instead of giving up. Wounds don’t often show. Struggling soldiers don’t always appear thus: may we be sensitive to our brethren, being the hands and feet of Jesus to the weak and wearying. Amen.
To be continued.

Glory!