Thorns - The Great Equaliser

“There but for the grace of God go I!” - John  Bradford -


Today at the Veritas Bible Conference, the full weight of this expression dawned on me anew.  As part of a fallen humanity, we are all broken and ailing to some degree. There exist thorns (issues/intentional Manufacturer defects) that piercingly refuse to be ignored.

It is my observation that:
Some thorns are more difficult to bear than others.
Some are glaringly obvious,
Still,  others pierce deep and lingeringly, with untold irritation.
Deceptively, some seem 'inconsequential' to the casual observer.
But, those in the know disagree.
Thorns are true to their nature: they hurt.
Whether it seems like it or not!

This talk begs the question: why would a loving God, perfectly capable of yanking out these thorns, passively watch his wretched creation writhe in agony and not put the poor soul out of his misery?

Thing is, our lives are not our own.  Ours is to gracefully live each day in the quiet assurance that the cards we've been dealt are a Deliberate Hand. 

This thorn-in-the-flesh reality fills me with compassion for my fellow travellers, who take hits and blows on their journey through life.  In many ways, I realize that I cannot even begin to wrap my head around the thorns that others bear, never-mind walking a mile in their shoes.  Among us live people whose burdens could break a camel's back.

Old saying is true: Be nice to everyone you meet, people are fighting tough battles!

... and what a shift this calls for in my empathy and compassion levels!

P.S: Interestingly, God not only enables me to navigate my way around my own thorns, but, wounded and all, He expects me to count my blessings and thrive where He plants me.