Don't Stub Your Toe

​“I love the spring like weather.” That's what my friend said to me last night. In Florida, we may only experience a few days and nights such as this before it moves right on into summer. This morning, I was thinking about summer and going barefoot and stumping my big toe.

Have you ever stumped your big toe? It hurts. You find out how important your big toe is to walking and to your balance. Stumping your big toe is a visible reminder of a mistake you've made. Maybe you weren't watching where you were going and your inattention caused you to trip. Possibly you were moving too fast and in your haste you stumped your toe. For a short time (minutes, sometimes hours and maybe a couple of days) you were reminded to tread carefully. You were reminded to walk circumspectly so that you wouldn't further offend your big toe. It seems as if, for a season, that you have a messenger to torment you and to remind you of your inattention or unwise haste. Now, read what Paul has to say:

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NASB

Something “bothered” Paul. This thorn in the flesh was a constant reminder to Paul that God was Paul's sufficiency. This painful messenger was a tool to keep Paul from sinning against God and against others through his self-exaltation.

While I don't know the nature of Paul's thorn in the flesh, I do know about stumping my toe. Oh, how I wish that I were perfect and had never been inattentive to my spiritual devotions. Oh, how I wish that I had paid better attention to my surroundings so that I wouldn't stumble and stump my toe. I may not have a thorn in the flesh like Paul, however, I do fight against pride and against greed (intense and selfish desires). These sins cause me to stump my toe. They are a reminder that I need Holy Spirit to fill me each and every moment to keep me from self-destructing. They are a reminder that even though I am weak and fight against flesh that nothing is impossible with God and that in my weakness, God's power is manifested in His grace. His grace to forgive and to empower me to walk before Him.

Walk with the King today and don't stump your toe.
​-Bro. Rick

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