A Kick in the Pants

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from John 11:14-15, ” Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.’ “

Background

In the movie, Tootsie , the characters are rehearsing for the soap opera that they work on. In this particular scene, the director is explaining what he wants from his star actress, a nurse at Southwest General, and a bit player who is one of her patients. In a series of events that could occur only on a soap opera (or daytime drama as the characters are forced to call it), Rick has ended up in the hospital after falling through the ice on a lake. For some reason, he was playing his violin there, and the lake had thawed enough so that he fell through and had to be rushed to the hospital. Nurse Julie is attending to him as he has fallen to the floor, pulling out the tubes from his nose. In his delirium, he is oddly concerned about the whereabouts of his violin. But when he asks the director if his violin is somewhere in the room, he tells him it sunk and it’s at the bottom of the lake. No sugar coating it, that’s just the way it is. We know that all news is not good news, and sometimes the bad news is directly related to us. But sometimes, how we find out can have a huge impact on how the news affects us. The words you choose, the manner in which they are delivered, and even the setting of the interaction, these all can soften or harden the blow.

Application

But just as important, if not more so, is our willingness to hear and accept what is being told to us. If we have the humble heart of a sinner redeemed by grace, if we accept that God can work all things for His good and my conformity to Christlikeness, then any word of reproof or correction can find a place in our harrowed heart. Our openness to the directives of God as initiated through the people and events around us testifies to our relationship with Him and our dependence upon Him. Likewise, resistance may indicate a lack of surrender to our God and King. At a minimum, these times serve as a powerful litmus test of our journey to sanctification. So when God speaks plainly to you, let it be a time of faith and action.

Charge

As we seek Him today, listen for a plain word from God. Be open to receiving a kick in the pants, for your good and His glory.