Stuck on Band-Aids
“I am stuck on Band-Aids, ‘cause Band-Aids are stuck on me.” What a catchy little song.
A young child sustains a cut on his knee, runs to his mommy, she reaches in her first aide kit and pulls out the ever popular Band-Aid*, and applies it to her son’s knee. They are both happy and he goes back playing in the yard.
Band-Aids are a quick fix to a minor problem. Covering up something that’s been damaged or hurt in hopes that in time, when the covering is removed, the damage will be gone and all will be well.
Band-Aids are also for protection of the affected area from becoming infected, which could lead to a more serious problem.
Too often we use a bandage approach to things in our lives that we want to cover up, in hopes that time will erase the discomfort it brought us and all will be well.
Maybe, we cover up things so we don’t have to deal with them. Pretend that they never really existed in the first place. If you can’t see it, it was never there.
Maybe that’s why some people have such a hard time dealing with the belief that God exists. Can’t see God, God must not exist. Then there’s the story of God sending us his son, Jesus, whom he let die for us so we could live. That story is over 2,000 years old, but does it prove he existed and still exists in some kind of spiritual sense? When Jesus supposedly ‘rose’ from the dead and came back to see his friends, one friend, in particular, did not believe who he was. Thomas, Mr. Doubter, needed proof that the man standing in front of him was indeed Jesus. By seeing and touching the holes in Jesus’ hands and side, doubt left Thomas’ mind and he believed.
Ok, I hear a question arising. How does the doubting Thomas story relate to Band-Aids?
Those who believe in God and accept Jesus as the son of God also believe in the eternal life after our physical bodies die on this Earth. When we enter this eternal life all of our physical impairments are gone and our bodies are restored to their unblemished state. But, when Jesus rose from the grave and came back to see his friends the holes in his hands, feet and side, from his crucifixion were still there for all to see. Why? Why weren’t these scars removed from his body? Simple. To remind us that it did happen, that it was real and he is real. God was not going to bandage over something that we needed to know for ourselves.
Throughout our lives we suffer many forms of hurts that leave scars on our bodies or in our memories. We may try to Band-Aid them but they will always be there. These imperfections are a part of who we are and what we’ve been through. Yet, some hurts are so significant that our lives are changed from what we hoped it would be. Some try to cover them up in a way to distract others or themselves from seeing or being reminded of those hurts.
Remember when your mom or dad put that Band-Aid on your boo-boo, then hugged you before you went back playing with your friends? Comforting wasn’t it? You wore the bandage proudly for days, until…. It was time to take it off. “No! Please don’t take it off. It will hurt.” But, with persistence your mom or dad rips the bandage off.
Soon after that brief but sensitive experience there is calmness. Your hurt has been healed and all is well.
The problem with Band-Aids and other things we use to cover our imperfections is that they are not cures, just temporary fixes. Although, there are some things we apply to ourselves that are more permanent, all they do is hide the truth.
“…And the truth shall set you free.” Every one that knows of God has their own type of relationship with Him. Some believe and focus their lives on God, Some believe but are struggling with their earthly traits, some are not sure if God is real, and some refuse to believe God even exists.
Isn’t it interesting that everyone that has used a Band-Aid believes it will help take care of their wounds; yet, they haven’t the foggiest idea who created them? Ah, but you can look up that information on the internet or in books and even though you have never met the person face to face you believe he existed and what he did for you.
Then why is it so difficult to believe in God, the creator of so many magnificent things in your life, the one who can heal every hurt that penetrates your life! Is it because you are scared to reveal to God what you have hidden beneath those ‘bandages’? The truth is, is that God already knows what lies beneath your bandage, but until you are willing to let loose of your guarded condition those imperfections will continue to consume your life.
Let God remove the Band-Aids that are stuck on you, so that he may heal your imperfections. Just as Jesus came to his friends still bearing the scars from his past, you too will bear reminders of your past, but the hurt will be gone and a new life will be given.
Soon after that brief but sensitive experience there is calmness. Your hurt has been healed and all is well. Go out and play and be joyful.
* Band-Aid is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson's
“I am stuck on Band-Aids, ‘cause Band-Aids are stuck on me.” What a catchy little song.
A young child sustains a cut on his knee, runs to his mommy, she reaches in her first aide kit and pulls out the ever popular Band-Aid*, and applies it to her son’s knee. They are both happy and he goes back playing in the yard.
Band-Aids are a quick fix to a minor problem. Covering up something that’s been damaged or hurt in hopes that in time, when the covering is removed, the damage will be gone and all will be well.
Band-Aids are also for protection of the affected area from becoming infected, which could lead to a more serious problem.
Too often we use a bandage approach to things in our lives that we want to cover up, in hopes that time will erase the discomfort it brought us and all will be well.
Maybe, we cover up things so we don’t have to deal with them. Pretend that they never really existed in the first place. If you can’t see it, it was never there.
Maybe that’s why some people have such a hard time dealing with the belief that God exists. Can’t see God, God must not exist. Then there’s the story of God sending us his son, Jesus, whom he let die for us so we could live. That story is over 2,000 years old, but does it prove he existed and still exists in some kind of spiritual sense? When Jesus supposedly ‘rose’ from the dead and came back to see his friends, one friend, in particular, did not believe who he was. Thomas, Mr. Doubter, needed proof that the man standing in front of him was indeed Jesus. By seeing and touching the holes in Jesus’ hands and side, doubt left Thomas’ mind and he believed.
Ok, I hear a question arising. How does the doubting Thomas story relate to Band-Aids?
Those who believe in God and accept Jesus as the son of God also believe in the eternal life after our physical bodies die on this Earth. When we enter this eternal life all of our physical impairments are gone and our bodies are restored to their unblemished state. But, when Jesus rose from the grave and came back to see his friends the holes in his hands, feet and side, from his crucifixion were still there for all to see. Why? Why weren’t these scars removed from his body? Simple. To remind us that it did happen, that it was real and he is real. God was not going to bandage over something that we needed to know for ourselves.
Throughout our lives we suffer many forms of hurts that leave scars on our bodies or in our memories. We may try to Band-Aid them but they will always be there. These imperfections are a part of who we are and what we’ve been through. Yet, some hurts are so significant that our lives are changed from what we hoped it would be. Some try to cover them up in a way to distract others or themselves from seeing or being reminded of those hurts.
Remember when your mom or dad put that Band-Aid on your boo-boo, then hugged you before you went back playing with your friends? Comforting wasn’t it? You wore the bandage proudly for days, until…. It was time to take it off. “No! Please don’t take it off. It will hurt.” But, with persistence your mom or dad rips the bandage off.
Soon after that brief but sensitive experience there is calmness. Your hurt has been healed and all is well.
The problem with Band-Aids and other things we use to cover our imperfections is that they are not cures, just temporary fixes. Although, there are some things we apply to ourselves that are more permanent, all they do is hide the truth.
“…And the truth shall set you free.” Every one that knows of God has their own type of relationship with Him. Some believe and focus their lives on God, Some believe but are struggling with their earthly traits, some are not sure if God is real, and some refuse to believe God even exists.
Isn’t it interesting that everyone that has used a Band-Aid believes it will help take care of their wounds; yet, they haven’t the foggiest idea who created them? Ah, but you can look up that information on the internet or in books and even though you have never met the person face to face you believe he existed and what he did for you.
Then why is it so difficult to believe in God, the creator of so many magnificent things in your life, the one who can heal every hurt that penetrates your life! Is it because you are scared to reveal to God what you have hidden beneath those ‘bandages’? The truth is, is that God already knows what lies beneath your bandage, but until you are willing to let loose of your guarded condition those imperfections will continue to consume your life.
Let God remove the Band-Aids that are stuck on you, so that he may heal your imperfections. Just as Jesus came to his friends still bearing the scars from his past, you too will bear reminders of your past, but the hurt will be gone and a new life will be given.
Soon after that brief but sensitive experience there is calmness. Your hurt has been healed and all is well. Go out and play and be joyful.
* Band-Aid is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson's
posted by John | Sunday, June 24, 2007
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