My finger was hurting; no, it was throbbing. What did I do? I took stiff package tape and I braced it up. This allowed it to rest, and alleviated the pain. The theory of bracing up a weak part is nothing new, and it has spiritual applications.
Doctor, Doctor
When tendons or connective tissue get aggravated, it can be some of the worst pain you can have. It is like a fire inside the affected area. Often, it is not a serious thing, but just a repetitive stress injury or something stretched or pulled. What do you do? Many of us are without adequate health insurance, so we have learned to use home remedies before calling a doctor or visiting an emergency room.
Excuse me, why do you have tape on your finger?
I can’t exactly explain why bracing something helps relieve the pain, but I first learned it when a doctor braced my thumb when it was injured through DeQuervain’s Disease. The relief was instantaneous. I have been bracing things ever since. You may see me walking around with duct tape on my ankles or packing tape on my hands. All I know is it works. It allows this injured area to rest and build itself up again.
The Bible says we should brace
Well, it doesn’t specifically say that we should wrap ourselves in duct tape, but it talks about strengthening the weaker hands, knees and ankles. Here is Hebrews 12:12-13:
12So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees,
3And cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame and halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured.
(From the Amplified Bible)
They get on my last nerve
Who is pushing your buttons? It is especially difficult when they are the one that is acting inappropriately and not you. However, this indicates that they are a weaker part of the body, and the Scripture addresses how to behave in a situation like this.
First Corinthians Chapter 12 explains to us that Christians are Christ’s Body. I have quoted a few snippets here from that chapter.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink……
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ….
22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor……
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV)
Faith building from FACEBOOK?
I will end with a quote from my dear friend Margie Puckett’s status on Facebook today. She said,
“Words can be very powerful. Why not use them to lift someone up today rather than knock them down?”
