The Splinter
Have you ever had a splinter in your finger? Or anywhere else? Remember how it hurt?
I was talking to
someone today and they said, “It's amazing how
one tiny little sliver can make you want to rip your whole hand
off.” They had gotten a tiny little splinter from carrying
wood. Now it was hurting. Apparently, they did not realize it was
there at first. Now it was causing them pain. They
had taken it out. But the place where it was still needed
healing.
Sometimes at first, we don’t even know we have a splinter
because it is so tiny. We think we feel something. We look
but we don’t see anything. We think, “Oh, must have
imagined it. Must be fine. It will quit hurting
soon.” So we ignore it. But later our finger begins to
throb. Maybe fester and swell up. Maybe even--horrors--get filled with pus. We know now there is something there.
Isn’t it like that with the tiny sins? Maybe sins of
omission? Maybe the little white lies? Maybe just listening to
gossip? You can imagine you own.
At first we think, “Oh, this is no big deal.”
Then as time passes we realize something is not right. I am not
hearing Jesus as well as I usually do. Or maybe the Word is
getting kind of boring. Or I just feel irritable.
Sometimes, at the time, we were not even aware of doing whatever we
did. Just as this person was not aware of the splinter at first.
But just like the splinter, underneath, in our spirit, something happened when we sinned. A festering began.
Just like the pain of the splinter, the pain of our separation from the
awareness of God will cause us to want to know what we did.
I am thankful that the person shared the splinter.
I am thankful the reminder that even tiny little sins (and of course
there is no tiny sin) will separate us from fellowship with our Father.
I pray that more and more, I will walk in his truth, his love, his
provision and in so doing not get entangled in the sin which so easily
entangles us. And separates us from our source of light and life.
Just as the festering around a splinter, or the pain of it will cause
us to be diligent in getting it taken care of, so also may our spirits
quickly tell us when we stray. Then we can turn and take the
“tweezers of repentance” out and get rid of the
“splinter” that causes separation. Then he will also come
and clean out the “infection” and purify us.
2-23-07
Hebrews 12:1
[ God Disciplines His Sons ] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such
a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.