Wrapping Up My Knee For Christmas
It’s really not fair. Somehow, I made it through 50 years with almost no health problems. No diseases, no chronic pain, no broken bones (my ring finger and little toe don’t count), no major surgeries and the few minor ones are nothing to write home about. In the school of physical suffering, I haven’t even made it out of first grade.
I think I’ve got my chance now. I was preparing to play a bit more of my patented lazy defense at basketball last Thursday and suddenly there was a pain in my right knee that felt like an electric shock. I hopped off the court on one leg and into urgent care the next day where I learned I damaged my medial collateral ligament. I was given a brace and put on a regimen of ice, ibuprofen and stabilization. Total recovery time may last anywhere from 6-12 weeks.
Toby, meet pain and loss. Believe me, I know this is nothing compared to many, but it is significant compared to a working knee. I drive two-footed because it hurts to move my foot to step on the brake. It’s difficult to dress myself and my right sock is virtually impossible. I am limited to sleeping on my back and if I try to roll onto my side I have to stifle a painful cry. Stairs must be done a certain way and I nearly toppled into the front row as I tried to get off the platform Sunday. Fixing the valve on our toilet was four times harder and a half-dozen other projects are on now on hold.
A healthy right knee is an incredible gift! Perfectly suited for hiking, cleaning, climbing, dressing, driving, swimming, rowing and a thousand things besides. If anyone is looking for any last-second gift ideas for me, this would sure be a winner. (And not to be picky, but installation needs to be included.)
In truth, a healthy right knee is my Christmas gift this year. Seriously! Most of us know that being mad at God over some painful loss is no good, so we usually just grit our teeth and try get through it without complaining too much. But that’s Stoicism, not Christianity. I have the opportunity to accept the pain and loss involved with my knee injury as part of God’s plan to make me a man of God. In so doing, I am effectively handing over my healthy right knee, giving it to God as a gift.
This is not mind tricks or semantics. This is worship, expressed with one of the more valuable gifts I’ve ever given. I’ve even wrapped it for Him in elastic and Velcro.
Pastor Toby
Categories: Evergreen Connection