As I'm sure you're all aware, there's nothing like a little bout with some tiny little bug you can't even see, to put things back in their proper perspective. I have been blessed to experience a perspective adjustment just this week... Thank you Jesus.
It's amazing to me, how some tiny little critter known as a virus... which can only be seen through the lens of a microscope... can reduce a 6'2", 265 lb man to a whining, pathetic sounding, self pitying mass of uselessness.
Now it's come clean time... no chest pounding, here... no prideful disertation what-so-ever. I confess, when it comes to being sick... I'm HORRIBLE at it. My bride is sooooo patient with her patient, when I'm her patient. I can't wait for her to come in and ask me how I'm feeling, so I can tell her that a lesser man than me would probably be dead by now. She just smiles, says; "I know, honey", and then goes and gets another sizable jug of liquids for me to consume. She's so good to me... way better than I deserve.
It's funny how your mind wanders when you're sort of half out of it. I keep reminding God that I'm not supposed to be sick. I'm His adopted son and a rightful heir of His inheritance for me, so why did this "affliction" come upon me? Now the only logical explanation I can come up with for such musings, is that it must be due to the fever... yeah, yeah, that's it... the fever! Anyhow, during one of these brief little detours from reality, I finally decided that the only reason this could happen to a child of God is that these little viruses aren't saved... none of them... which brings another point to mind.
I know that God created everything... I get that... and yes I believe that... but I can't for the life of me figure out WHY He came up with viruses. They obviously fall into the same strange category as chiggers. Chiggers and viruses... now there's a couple of deuces for you. Both of them are worthless... well, maybe not totally worthless. Both of them DO have a way of humbling you don't they?
I'll skip the obvious discomforts and embarrassing circumstances surrounding a good bate of chiggers... their uncanny ability to humble people is legendary. And now that I think about it a minute, the same can be said of the tiny little virus. Hard to be even remotely prideful when you're convinced no one has ever felt this bad before. But these two little critters can't even hold a candle to Jake Owens.
Yesterday, I finally summoned the strength to turn on the TV for a few minutes. My eyes even hurt, so I couldn't watch it long... but just to show you what I mean, I saw a short little story about Jake. Jake is a 10 year old from southern California, cute little kid who loves playing "center" on his little league football team. When he was born, he had some severe problem with his left eye, and it had to be removed when he was only days old. Now at 10 years old, the problem is back... and it's NOT a virus that last for 24 hours. The story told of how Jake's parents contacted USC head coach Pete Carroll and shared Jake's plight with him, and told him how USC was his favorite team. Coach Carroll went way beyond what most people would have done, and literally took little Jake into the USC fold. Jake and the USC center bonded right away... (it's a position thing), and Jake spent the last few days with the Trojans BEFORE he had to have his right eye surgically removed.
Then at age 10, this kid had more courage, more strength of character, and more faith than a lot of us will ever have. He told his Mom, as he was going into the surgery, "Don't worry, Mom, it's just going to be a different part of my life now".
And the show followed up as Jake, totally blind now, walked back into one of the USC team meetings 6 days following his surgery and changed the lives of a large group of big strong healthy college football players. This little 10 year old kid showed the mighty USC Trojans what real courage looked like... and it was awesome!!!
Then as I turned the TV off, I "humbly" asked God to forgive me for being such a wimp. Today, I'm much better... partly because I'm gaining on the virus... and partly because of Jake Owens.
There might be some reason God wanted to put in his word that "we ought not to complain and grumble over every little thing"... after all, complaining doesn't do much to glorify God, does it? That's what the Lord and Jake Owens showed me this week... but then, Hey!... It's Just A Thought.
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