A Speck
I went to the ER on Christmas Day. Not what I had planned. I had spent a number of weeks dealing with a stye on the lower lid of my left eye, and on Christmas Day discovered what looked like a sack of blood on the inside of that eyelid. It seemed prudent to seek professional help.
My dear mother, who had stayed overnight with us, prayed a sweet and powerful prayer over me before we headed out to the truck, and I was grateful for the peace that settled on me. I was nervous, of course. Eye matters can be a little scary. But, I knew the Lord was with me.
Getting signed in was fairly simple, and miraculously I did not have long to wait. The young physician’s assistant who called me back to the exam room could not have been more thoughtful or kind. Even as he got close, lowered my lid and peered at the rather gross appendage that oozed out, he was calm and unalarmed.
It turns out that while rare, it is not unheard of to have a growth of flesh that gets twisted and loses blood flow. The thing in my eye was actually dead and connected only slightly by healthy tissue. He told me that if I was able to bear the discomfort I could wait for it to die completely and fall off; or, he could pull it out.
Of course, I was immediately six years old again, listening to my father tell me the same thing about my first loose tooth. Everything in me wanted to say, “I’ll wait it out, thank you.” But somehow there was sufficient courage to say, “Go ahead.” Not painless, but quick enough it was over. Not even all that much bleeding. The young PA showed it to me, and it was so very much smaller than I expected it to be. I was discharged with a prescription for antibiotic eye drops, ibuprofen for the swelling, and instructions to use a warm compress for comfort.
As my precious and patient husband was driving me home, I was pondering the strangeness of the event. It came to my mind that I had had a speck in my eye that felt like a plank. I arrived home determined to search out that very scripture.
Luke 6:41 says, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
Interesting, is it not? In these days of loudly espoused opinions regarding health, society, politics, and the state of our nation, I must pay attention to what the Lord appears to have allowed to happen to me and my eye. What am I focused on? Do I have something blocking my vision, while I am busy assuming that others are blind?
Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. I repent of falling to the temptation of thinking opinions are the measure of any one. You are the true vine, and you are the truth. You have made us, and you alone can place value on each of us. You died for all, and you are not willing that any should perish. What great love the Father has for us, that He would go to such lengths to restore us to fellowship and mend our broken hearts. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and putting your love in my heart. May the love you have for me and for the world be the only motivation in my interactions with others, to the glory of the Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Christmas in our home this year did not look anything at all like the ones of Christmases past. I am, however, convinced it was one of the best. We had less of our family physically with us, and it was considerably quieter with fewer children running around. Surprisingly, there was a profound since of belonging to something so much bigger. There were moments of intimacy with various ones, and always present, the strong assurance of God’s goodness to us all.
Come, let us worship the Lord. Let us bow down before Him.
Until next week, fellow so-journer, let Him take your life and give you His.