'falling flat on his face'.

The expression 'to fall flat on his face' is usually used to describe someone who publicly makes an embarrassing mistake. I remember years ago a very self-important young man telling us all he was going to pass his driving test the first time he tried it because he was 'such a good driver'. He told us all when his test was going to be - and failed the first time. He then told us when his second attempt was going to be - and failed that too. After that he did not tell us anymore until after he passed. He had boasted about his driving skills and then 'fell flat on his face'.

The expression comes from the Bible but is only used once there. The incident is recorded in the book of Numbers and chapter 22. A character called Balaam had been hired by a pagan king to curse the people of God, the Israelites. God, however, warned him several times not to do so, as God had blessed the Israelites and they could not be cursed. “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.” Balaam would not listen to God, however, and set off to do what he had been hired to do. On the way, an angel appeared to block his way. Balaam, despite claiming to have special spiritual insight, failed to see the angel. However, his donkey did and shied away into a nearby field. Balaam beat it and set off again. The angel appeared a second time and this time the donkey crushed Balaam's foot against a wall in its attempt to avoid the angel. Balaam was very angry with the donkey, but continued his way. At the third appearance of the angel, the donkey lay down on the ground.

Then God made the donkey speak. 'What have I done to you, that you have beaten me these three times?' To me, the remarkable thing about the story is not that the donkey spoke - God can do miracles - but that Balaam replied to the donkey and held a conversation with the animal! Balaam replied, 'Because you have mocked me. If I had a sword in my hand I would kill you'. Then God opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way hiolding a sword. And the Bible says, Balaam, ' bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. God spoke to him, rebuked him and sent him on his way, but this time instructed him to bless Israel, which Balaam did.

The pagan prophet Balaam fell flat on his face both literally and metaphorically. The donkey was evidently more spiritually aware than the self-styled, expensively-bought, prophet. How very embarrassing! The apostle Peter is a more recent example of making an embarrassing mistake. Our Lord warned him that he would deny knowing Christ three times before the cockerel crowed. Peter insisted most emphatically that he would not. He even went so far as to say he would got to prison for his Lord, and died for Him. But that night he publicly denied knowing the Lord three times. How very embarrassing!

The lesson is that we should be careful what we say. Being full of ourselves will often result in public humiliation. 'Let he that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall' says the Bible. It also warns us that pride goes before a fall. Let us not boast to others of what we think we can do. Walk humbly with your God is the advice the Bible gives. Let's keep it that way.