Thursday, July 23, 2020

AN ODE TO WOMEN AND SUFFERING




I recently bruised and sprained my foot badly and now have been confined to bed and recliner. During this time, my wife has gladly tended to my needs. As a result, my respect and estimation for her has grown.

However, I tend to be negative, and so this heightened respect for Anita has come slowly. It has also grown with the self-awareness of my own moral failures and how I’d probably begrudge it if the tables had been turned, and I’d have to care for Anita.

I say this with great shame, even as Anita reassures me that I have been a great husband.

This disability – and I hope it’s just very temporary – has reminded me about the need for brokenness and suffering. It has also reminded me of the beauty of women, and how our Lord has so exquisitely formed them.

Left on our own, we tend to become proud, self-reliant, and take our relationships for granted. Therefore, we need to be constantly disciplined by our Lord to prevent these things from happening:

·       “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:6-11)

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