Isaiah 49:13-23
Psalm 2, 26
Matthew 18:1-14

Matthew 18:1-14

Worms

This passage makes me feel very uncomfortable. It is one of the passages that I would like to cut out of the Bible and pretend that it never existed.

I am sure that some of my children’s bad behavior has been as a reaction to something that I have done or said, something which I could have phrased differently if I had taken a few minutes to think before I spoke.

So now I am in the ocean with a millstone for a necklace.

Next comes my left hand, have I ever not written a letter that I should have written or with my right hand steered the car so that another driver was caused to lose his cool.

Now no hands.

Feet, probably both of these get amputated in one go. Have I shopped when I should have worked, have I shopped when I should have saved, have I shopped and bought things for which I have no need or use. How many pairs of shoes do I have? They will be no use now, and the head in a millstone cannot wear a hat. Anyway the ocean would wash the hat away.

Heath Ledger died last week. My daughters and I intend having a Heath Ledger memorial viewing. Maybe we are just enjoying the beauty of manhood. Or how about some diamond earrings or a designer dress? Or an empire black granite countertop when the 15 year old Corian^® one is quite fine. I could cause some rock to be dug out of a mountain and transported halfway round the world just to please my eyes, and maybe the profit margin on my house. No eyes left to see where I am being tossed.

If I keep lopping off the offensive bits what is left of me will be little more than a worm because of course the first part of me to go should probably have been my brain, that instigator of all words and actions.

What a relief that Jesus gave his whole body for my sins. He took on all my hurt and pain so that I can live and hopefully live for Him as his hands, feet, eyes and head. Can I live for him with as much life as he died for me?

I wrote this for the Lent meditation book earlier this year. Life has not changed. Do we ever heed warnings?