It’s rare to be widely awake and see a rock and stumble into it. If it’s unnoticed, the possibility of tumbling is high. Marilyn French said “Men stumble over pebbles never over mountains”.¹ Making headway in life is about gaining momentum to embrace the opportunities around us, however, the bumpy road of life may slow us down.

So, when things are working well stick to it and when unsteady don’t give up.

The recession that hits the world’s economy has gripped our hearts with fear and many people are struggling and going through hard times. Nonetheless, you can’t afford to sit on the fence doing nothing and hoping for the best. Such was the case of a man in the ancient city of Troas, by name Eutychus, who in his elevated state slumbered and fell. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.” (Acts 20:7-12)

Eutychus sat on the window during the midnight gathering. It was midnight, yet the room where they gathered was full of light. Sitting at the window provides the opportunity to partake of what is happening inside and is easy to watch whatever is going on outside – neither here nor there kind of attitude. Whereas other people within the room enjoyed the light, he was seated between light and darkness. The gentle breeze of the late night knocked him into deep sleep. “He was overcome by sleep”. “He fell down from the third loft” – and elevated position.

Eutychus whose name means “Fortunate” was so favored to receive elevation in different levels and under powerful revelatory word to enlighten his soul, but he slumbered into deep sleep and fell dead. How many people today are favored to enjoy some privileges, but allowed the dark world to influence them until they lose consciousness of opportunity around them?

I counsel you to get out of the fence. Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations, of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”. John Morgan from the Grasshopper Notes said, “if you’re sitting on fence, it’s the perfect perch to watch life pass you by.”²

DECLARATION: “Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:9-10)

1 https://www.brainquote.com/quotes/keywords/stumble.html.
2 https://quotesgram.com/living-on-the-fence-quotes/