1 Corinthians 10:12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm back in the saddle"? It's an idiom that means you're doing something again that you haven't done for a while. I'm back in the saddle of exercising again. I'm back in the saddle of doing school work. I'm back in the saddle after I healed from my surgery. Sometimes getting back in the saddle can be quick and other times it can take a while. Think of it like this... Some surgeries can cause you to be out of the saddle for a long time, while others not so much.
I've also heard people use that term in this manner... "I got knocked off the horse but I jumped right back up into the saddle to show him a thing or two." If we lose respect for the horse and mistreat it through pride and selfishness, then that horse can become dangerous to us. A large man is nothing compared to a thousand or fifteen hundred pound horse. He could throw you off in a second. What's amazing is how we will saddle up these animals (horses, bulls, camels) that could really hurt us if they wanted to, but because of our respect and treatment of them they allow it.
You see, pride will get you hurt every time. If you think you do things because of your strength, you are destined to fall out of the saddle. If you think your pride is what controls the horse, he could quickly show you that you are mistaken and fling you right to the ground. Well this morning read our scripture again. It says we need to be humble about our standing lest we fall and that could happen at any moment. Too many people think it's about getting back into the saddle, but maybe we should see it differently. Maybe we should be humble and respectful to The Lord who directs our steps. We should be respectful of our stand in Christ lest at any moment we fall. Our Lord is telling us that when we are in the saddle and we see others that have fallen off of theirs, we should be humbled and not prideful lest we also are thrown off. No doubt, if we fall we should get right back up in the saddle. But hopefully it will be with a little more wisdom and a lot more humility.
So, you're back in the saddle? Be careful. Be watchful. Be humble.
