On June 15, 2012, Nik Wallenda crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope. That’s pretty impressive. I’ve met Nik. He’s an impressive guy and a devoted follower of Christ.
But he wasn’t the first to cross the Falls. On June 30, 1859, Charles Blondin became the first to complete this unbelievable task. And he did it more than once. He crossed the Falls blindfolded, in a sack, on stilts, and carrying a man on his back. He once even carried a small oven in which he cooked an omelet while on the wire.
Karl Wallenda, Nik’s great-grandfather, famously said, “Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting.”
Nik Wallenda. Karl Wallenda. Charles Blondin. For each of them the thrill of the tightrope was exhilarating. I get it.
Actually, I don’t get it. It’s crazy. In my mind, they’re all nuts!
But are any of us really different? As I look back over my life in addiction, I realize I lived hundreds of days on a tightrope. At any moment, I could be “discovered.” I could fall from the wire, losing my ministry and reputation. But I kept walking that rope.
If you have not yet fallen from your tightrope, heed this advice: “The wise see danger ahead and avoid it” (Proverbs 22:3).
Recovery Step: Get off the wire while you still can.
