November 7: Part 4: The Fall Without a Cushion

The Fall Without a Cushion

After writing the first three reflections on the avocado, I heard my husband calling me to join him outside. He often likes me nearby when he is fixing something. Perhaps it is because he enjoys the commendations I give him, or

perhaps it is to ensure he does the job in the way I would prefer so he does not have to do it over again.

As I stepped outside to meet him, I shared with him that I had just finished writing the devotionals about the avocado that had fallen into the mulch and rested safely there. As I spoke, I looked down at the foot of the same tree where he was standing. To my surprise, I saw another large avocado on the ground. I pointed it out to him, but he had not noticed it. We picked it up and, unlike the first, this one was battered and bruised. It had fallen straight onto the hard ground, where there was no cushion to receive it.

This was a paradox to the first experience. The same tree, the same fruit, yet two very different outcomes. One avocado was preserved, the other was damaged. The difference was not in the avocado but in where it landed.

Spiritually, this is the reality of life without Christ. Jesus is the cushion of grace. He is the one who receives us when we stumble, who preserves us when life shakes us from the branch. Without Him, the fall is hard and destructive. With Him, the fall is cushioned, and we are preserved for restoration.

The Scriptures remind us in Psalm 37:24: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” Those who trust in Christ are held, even in weakness. Yet without Him, there is no hand to uphold, no cushion to preserve, no grace to restore.

This battered avocado reminded me of the urgency of being anchored in Christ. John 15:6 declares: “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” To fall without Jesus is to fall without hope.

The two avocados tell two stories. One speaks of grace, mercy, and preservation. The other warns of life without Christ—bruised, broken, and without restoration. The message is clear: it is not about whether we will fall, for life guarantees trials and stumbling. The question is, where will we land? Will we be cushioned by the Saviour, or will we fall to destruction without Him?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that in You I am never utterly cast down. Thank You that when I fall, You preserve me and lift me again. I pray for those who are living without You, that they may find their refuge and their cushion in Your grace. Keep me rooted in You, and let my life be preserved by Your hand, now and always. Amen.