As a seven-year-old boy living in the Arabian Peninsula, I
was consistently told by my parents to
always wear my shoes.
And I understood why.
I knew that shoes would protect my feet against the
many threats to be found in the desert such as snakes,
scorpions, and thorns.
One morning after a night's camping in the desert, I
wanted to go exploring, but I did not want to bother putting
on my shoes.
I rationalized that I was only going for a little wander, and
I would stay close by the camp.
I told myself that flip-flops were shoes of a sort.
And anyway, what could possibly happen?
As I walked along the cool sand in my flip-flops, I felt
something like a thorn going into the arch of my foot.
I looked down and saw not a thorn, but a scorpion.
The pain of the sting began to rise from my
foot and up my leg.
I grabbed the top of my leg to try and stop the searing pain
from moving further and I cried out for help.
My parents came running from the camp.
I sulked while my parents loaded me into a car and set
off across the desert towards the nearest hospital which was
over two hours away.
The pain through my leg was excruciating, and for that
entire journey, I assumed that I was dying.
When I finally reached the hospital, the doctor was able
to assure us that only small infants and the severely
malnourished are threatened by the sting of
that type of scorpion.
He administered an anesthetic which numbed my leg and took
away any sensation of pain.
Within 24 hours, I no longer had any effects from the sting
of the scorpion, but I had learned a powerful lesson.
I had known that when my parents told me to wear shoes,
they did not mean flip-flops.
But that morning in the desert, I disregarded what I
knew to be right.
I ignored what my parents had repeatedly taught me.
I had been both lazy and a little rebellious.
And I paid a price for it.
Disregarding what we know to be right, whether through
laziness or rebelliousness, always brings undesirable and
spiritually damaging consequences.
We find healing and relief only when we bring ourselves
to the feet of the great physician, our Savior Jesus
Christ. We must cease fighting against God and instead give
our whole hearts to Him holding nothing back.
Then He can heal us.
Then He can cleanse us from the venomous sting of sin.