I watched a TV show the other night about a group of brain surgeons. One Asian doctor, Dr. Sung Park, is a genius and speaks very broken English. When patients ask him if they could die during one of his surgeries, he says, “I don’t do die. I do live.”
In this particular episode a young man in his twenties is brought to the emergency room with epileptic seizures. He is a compulsive writer and a very good one. He is very proficient at painting pictures with words. His writings bring much joy, entertainment and encouragement to many people. But he writes ALL THE TIME. He never stops. His mother, believing it to be unhealthy for him to write so compulsively, had taken his computer and anything else he could write on away from him. When they brought him to the hospital, his entire body was covered in words. He had found a magic marker and continued to write all over his face and body. WOW!!! That is a little over the top.
Upon examination, a tumor was discovered near the part of his brain where creativity is located. The other doctors were adamant that the tumor had to be removed, but the young man did not want the surgery. He wanted to know if removing the tumor could affect his writing to which the doctors concurred with that possibility. Then he staunchly refused to allow the operation. His mother went bonkers. The doctors went on and on about removing the tumor which was causing the epilepsy. That is what doctors do. They fix problems.
Dr. Park finally spoke up. “Leave alone. Whole being more important than body. Soul not sacrificed to make body whole. Whole being must be whole. Writing do more good than epilepsy do bad.”
Now, I don’t think Dr. Park claims to be a Christian, but there is a lot of spiritual wisdom in what he said. It is our problems and difficulties that drive us into the arms of Jesus where our help and strength comes from. Paul had his “thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble. That thorn constantly reminded him that God’s grace is sufficient and that God’s strength was made perfect is his weakness.
I have been really struggling lately. I have been trying to cope with a few bumps in the road in my own strength and have been worn out physically, spiritually and emotionally. I have definitely not been on my “A” game recently and have admitted as much in my sermons and writings. Amazingly, I have had more people than ever tell me in the last few weeks how God has used my weakness to encourage them on their Journey. I thought I was letting God down by not being at my best for Him, when He was just waiting for me to get so exhausted I got out of His way. The joy of the Lord is our strength and His strength only comes when we are weak. Go figure.
Dr. Park was right. For this young man, write may have been better than right. It seems to be true for some of these writers you may have heard of. These struggled with epilepsy as well: Vincent van Gogh, Sir Isaac Newton, Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Edgar Allen Poe, George Frederick Handel, Martin Luther, Peter Tchaikovsky, and Socrates. Many in their time thought them to be insane and crazy. Some thought that of Jesus as well.
The Apostle Paul was a pretty good writer himself who had some issues too. His words continue to encourage myriads of believers today. Let’s give him the final word.
So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT).
The world thinks those of us who follow Jesus are crazy, too. In the infamous words of Billy Joel: “You may be right. I may be crazy, but it just might be a lunatic you’re looking for.”
You know Jesus is crazy wild about you, with crazy being the operative world. Jesus loves you no matter what even when you are good, bad, or ugly. Is that not crazy? Crazy but true and life transforming to boot… if we would only believe it.
Blessings,
Kenny
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