SMASHED FINGERS

My cartoons lied to me.  I remember seeing Yosemite Sam or Sylvester the cat getting their hand smashed under a rock, or in a door and what would happen to it? It flattened like a pancake, right?  They’d shake it and it would go back to proper form.  It doesn't happen that way!  The two times in my childhood when the car door was closed on my fingers (Yes! Apparently once wasn't enough for me to learn my lesson) failed to give me “pancake fingers.”  What I did get was this throbbing pain that made my fingers feel like they’re growing and shrinking, growing and shrinking.  I remember after one of the incidences my mom asking me where I had my hands during door closing time that would cause this accident (this was going to be one of those teaching moments). Confidently, and so sure of myself, I explained while holding my wounded mitt close to my body, “I had my hand here THE WHOLE TIME (trying to convey this idea that it was this completely impossible, a chance in a million, freak accident)!  She wasn't buying what I was selling.

It's been probably 30 years since my last smashed fingers incident.  Why so long?  I learned a great lesson.  I can’t be inside and outside of the car at the same time when its car door closing time.  The car door was erasing the middle ground.  It was ejecting the undecided from the middle of the road position.

We see this principle in scripture:  ¹⁵ I know your deeds… Revelation 3:15a

You can’t hide your condition from God.  You may be able to fool everybody else.  But He knows!  In fact, He’d be the worse to play hide and seek with:  “…9, 10!  Ready or not here I co—there you are!”  You can’t hide anything from Him.

…that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! Revelation 3:15b

His desire is for you to choose a side:  “Are you going to be in the car or out of the car?  This car is moving!  So if you’re wanting to go where it’s going, get in!”

¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16

The original language here is a bit more explicit.  The nice, wholesome people of NIV have smoothed out the rough edges of this verse with the phrase “spit you out.” The original literally says “vomit!”  “Your middle of the road, lukewarm-ness makes me sick.  I can’t stomach it.” What a horrible picture.  Imagine making dinner for the president and him tossing his cookies over what you made.  Nightmare!  What’s worse?  Doing that to God.

¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  Revelation 3:17

Self-deception is real.  I can tell myself that I’m fine all I want.  The truth is the lukewarm state leaves me hollow.  Is there any hope?

¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.  Revelation 3:18

Is there any hope?  This verse seems to be confusing for me.  It seems to dangle hope before me just beyond my reach.  Seems a bit mean to me.  At first glance I notice that He wants me to buy what I need to fix my condition.  But He just said in verse 17 that I don’t have anything.  I’m wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  How can I afford pure gold, white clothes, and salve?  If I could have afforded this before I wouldn’t be in this condition, right?  If I have nothing to offer for these things, how can I purchase them?  All I truly have is me.  And that’s the point.  That’s what He’s looking for.  He wants me all in.