The Power of WordsSample

Getting Hit by the Same Train

By Ed Uszynski

The headline read something like this: “Man gets hit by train twice in same month.” 

Definite clickbait, but I couldn’t resist. I read on. 

Apparently, this guy got too close to the edge of the platform and got his arm mangled by a train coming into the station. Later in the same month, he did almost the exact same thing again. Crushed his arm. Baffled his friends. 

What kind of an idiot does that? Bad enough to get hit by a train once. But wouldn’t the pain of that keep you from getting too close to the edge again?

Judgmental headline reading comes easy to me. This story provided low-hanging fruit.

Unfortunately, I read it in a span of days where I’d created misery in my home by saying something to my wife that always led to conflict.  

The specifics don’t matter now. It’s the pattern that stands out. 

Over and over and over again. Same result.

Then, annoyingly, God’s Spirit used mangled-platform guy to put me in a corner.  

“What kind of an idiot repeatedly steps across the edge to be hit by a train, you ask? Who doesn’t learn from pain when they experience it? Those are great questions—for you!”   

How often do I get hit by the same train in my own house? Same sloppy words. Same defensive posture. Same behavior that creates the same negative result. 

I had to think: Instead of using my energy to judge the dude who kept running into trains, maybe ask God to help me start avoiding some of my own. 

But God, can’t I at least ask, who gets hit twice by a REAL train? 

Never mind. 

Back to my own trains. 

Action points:    

• What’s one marital “train” you’d love to avoid in the future?    
• What are the common elements to the pattern? (Feel free to gently ask your spouse for their ideas, especially if you’re feeling clueless.)    
• What foolish behavior will you purposefully, prayerfully avoid in the future?

Have more questions about pursuing what matters most? Read “In This Home” on FamilyLife.com.