Momentum For Monday, March 17th 2025

“If they fall, it isn’t fatal, for the Lord holds them with his hand.” (Psalm 37:24)

When people begin jiujitsu, there are so many things that the body isn't used to doing. The techniques people learn are so foreign to them that they often say they feel muscles they never knew they had. The control over their body to do a technique is often sloppy and if not done carefully and slowly, they could injure themselves or someone else.

For example, my first year of jiujitsu, I was working on part of a takedown technique with a training partner. We weren't supposed to finish the takedown, but I guess he missed that part of the instruction and took me off my feet anyways. I landed incorrectly and broke a rib in the process. Needless to say, I was miserable for a couple of months.

So, one of the things I encourage people to do when I am helping them learn jiujitsu is the ability to fall safely. Most jiujitsu is grappling on the ground, but there is a component of the fight that is standing. Because of that, I have them practice something called "breakfalls" to lessen the impact of landing when doing a move. Smart right? I think this should be something discipled in church too though.

I'm not saying we should encourage people to fall, or sin for that matter. However, I am saying that we should teach people how to handle it when they do, and I do mean when. The idea is to be able to minister reconciliation of people back to God (and others if it is possible and wise).

A fall or mistake shouldn’t destroy someone’s connection to God or others. Our walk with God is already challenging enough in this world. Shame and pride can be destructive in relationships. We need people who help people recover from those issues, no matter what the situation. Let's not just know how to properly walk, but properly fall too.

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”"‘

2 Corinthians 5:18-20