How Do You Lean?

"The Lorax" movie is one of my daughter's and my favorite movies, so we were especially excited that it came out on DVD Tuesday.  We bought it that day and have already watched it three times - enjoying it each and every time.  The four guys in our family have watched it a few times, themselves.  Not sure they're as big of fans as us, but at least they seem to enjoy it.

There is a great message in the movie, cute songs, and several good quotes. I've blogged about one of the before, but here's another one that is a direct quote from the Lorax, himself:

A tree falls the way it leans.  Be careful how you lean.

-The Lorax

There's a lot of wisdom in that quote, isn't there?

The Bible is full of words of wisdom about leaning and falling.  Here are just a few that focus on what happens when we lean the wrong way (I've emphasized the word fall in each:

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. 

Proverbs 16:18

A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. 

Proverbs 17:20

Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. 

Proverbs 28:14

He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall. 

Proverbs 28:18

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 

Matthew 26:41

 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” 

Mark 4:13-20

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 

Luke 11:17

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 

1 Corinthians 10:12

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because^[b] to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Hebrews 6:4-6

Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 

2 Peter 3:17

And then here are some promises of God that will help us and keep us from leaning in the wrong direction.  These promises should keep us from falling.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ 

in all your ways acknowledge him,  and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,    ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:22-24

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:10-11