Pain

When I was about three years old I fell off the swing in our back yard. No big deal. It happens to kids every day. My parents tell me that I cried a lot as a little fellow (there goes the tough guy image), so they didn’t think much about the tears from such a low fall.

About two weeks later a friend of my parents picked me up by the hands and swung me around. The crying and wailing returned instantly. Mom and Dad knew this shouldn’t hurt. They ended up taking me to the doctor who found out that my arm had been fractured from the earlier fall.

There was purpose in the pain. It told me and my parents something wasn’t right. In some ways pain is like the warning lights on your dashboard. They tell you the engine is overheating or the oil pressure is low or it’s time to refuel. Ignore the warning and you’ll pay the price.

Pain isn't pleasant, but I sure am glad my wife felt pain when it was time for our son to be born. No pain and I may have had to deliver at home by myself. That’s one I’d rather the doctor and nurses handle.

We all experience pain: physical pain from illness or injury, emotional pain from broken or damaged relationships. Pain is universal. Pain, both physical and emotional, is the warning system God has wired into us. We’re suppose to sit up and take notice that something’s wrong.