BE CAREFUL

 

BE CAREFUL – A Warning from the Valleys of Life

By Ikechukwu Frank.

He had everything a man could dream of—education, a successful business, a lovely wife, and two beautiful children. His days were filled with smiles, boardroom meetings, and overseas calls. To many, Chuka was the definition of success. Then, on a quiet evening as he drove home from work, a speeding trailer collided with his vehicle. The accident crushed not only his spine but his world. C4C5 spinal cord injury, the doctor said. Paralysis from the neck down.

From that day, his life changed. The man who once was a helper became the one needing help. The man who gave generously became the one being pitied. But the worst pain came not from the injury, but from how people treated him. Friends disappeared. Some mocked in whispers. Others stared with discomfort. And some simply pretended he didn’t exist.

This is not just Chuka’s story—it’s the story of many. And it could become the story of anyone. That’s why I share this message with you today, not as a warning of fear, but of wisdom:

BE CAREFUL.

Maybe things are going well for you right now. Life might be smiling on you—your health is intact, your marriage is sweet, your business is booming, and you feel like you’re untouchable. Praise God! But beloved, remember this:

“Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” – 1 Corinthians 10:12 (KJV)

1. Don’t Look Down on Others

Sometimes we forget that pain is not always the result of sin or failure. Not everyone going through hardship is lazy, cursed, or foolish. Life is unpredictable. One minute you're walking; the next, you’re crawling through circumstances you never imagined.

The book of Job opens with a righteous man enjoying the blessings of heaven. But in a single day, his wealth, children, and health were taken. His friends thought they had answers. They judged. They speculated. But God rebuked them.

> “Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.” – Job 42:7 (KJV)

📌 Adage: “The fall of one man is not the end of the world, but how you treat him reveals your world.”

2. Mocking the Suffering Is Dangerous

Have you ever seen someone walking barefoot and murmured, “Why can’t he get slippers?” Or seen a sick person in tattered clothes and said, “They must have been careless”? Be careful.

The same tongues used to mock can one day beg for mercy.

> “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” – Proverbs 17:5 (KJV)

Your smile today is not because you are better. It is grace. And grace is not earned; it is gifted.

📌 Adage: “He who laughs at a man in the rain may find his roof leaking the next season.”

3. Help, or At Least Don’t Hurt

You don’t need to have millions before you can help. A kind word. A smile. A hand stretched in prayer. A visit. These are powerful tools of healing. But if you can’t help, please don’t hurt.

> “To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend.” – Job 6:14 (KJV)

And the Apostle Paul pleads with us:

> “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2 (KJV)

📌 Adage: “Even the smallest drop of water can refresh a thirsty soul.”

4. Temptation Respects No One

You think you're too strong to fall? Too wise to stumble? Too spiritual to fail? Temptation laughs at titles.

It has ruined marriages with one glance.

It has emptied the accounts of the wealthy.

It has led preachers astray and caused kings to crawl.

> “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)

That’s why Jesus warned in Matthew 7:1:

> “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” – (KJV)

📌 Adage: “The tallest tree still bows when the wind is strong enough.”

5. Restore with Meekness, Not Mockery

If you ever see someone overtaken by temptation or failure, don’t celebrate their fall. Don’t announce it. Don’t use it to elevate yourself. Restore them gently.

> “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” – Galatians 6:1 (KJV)

Remember, no one is too far gone that grace cannot reach. Be a vessel of restoration.

📌 Adage: “A hand that lifts is stronger than one that points.”

6. Let Gratitude Birth Compassion

If your life is going smoothly, be thankful. But don’t let your comfort blind you. Let it humble you. Let your blessings make you a blessing to others.

> “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

Gratitude without compassion is selfishness in disguise. Your resources are not just for show. They are for service.

📌 Adage: “The sun does not shine only to light itself, but to warm the earth.”

7. Tomorrow Remains Unseen

If you knew you would lose everything next week, would you treat others differently today? That’s the mystery of life. We don’t know tomorrow. That’s why humility is wisdom.

> “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” – Proverbs 27:1 (KJV)

📌 Adage: “The future has no photograph—walk softly.”

Final Words: A Call to Kindness

Beloved, this is my heart’s cry to you:

If you are standing strong, be thankful—but also be tender.

If you are rising in life, lift someone else as you rise.

If you are happy, let your joy spread healing, not hurt.

Because life can change. In one phone call. One accident. One diagnosis. One loss.

Let your words carry warmth, not weapons. Let your eyes see souls, not statistics. And let your heart remember:

> “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” – 1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)

Let us pray:

Lord, give me a heart that weeps with those who weep, a hand that helps the broken, and a spirit that never forgets Your grace. May I never be the reason someone gives up hope. And when I see someone in pain, help me to pause and remember—I could have been them. Amen.

📌 Final Adage: “The road you walk on today may be someone else’s tomorrow. Leave kindness as footprints.”

That is my message. Be careful, beloved. Be kind. And be grateful.

More info: 

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