I would be wise to focus on the suffering… For suffering is my key to the Kingdom…
My second son is wearing braces on his teeth at the moment. These braces are designed to move his teeth into position so that they are less crooked and look a lot prettier. Now, he is very lucky (and we are very blessed) that we are able to offer him this luxury. After all, apart from some increased complications with cleaning crooked teeth, there is really no pressing need for him to wear braces on his teeth to straighten them.
The braces are – in fact – an investment in his future. And I mean that in this way… By wearing these braces for the next couple of years, and by maintaining the orthodontic treatment of his teeth for the period of time after that, my son has a chance to have teeth that will look lovely and straight and clean and neat for most of his adult life.
But there is a problem associated with braces… And that relates to the pain involved. Braces are an uncomfortable device to wear. Not only is the metal itself uncomfortable and causes things like increased acid reflux in people already suspectable to that condition, but they also cut the inside of the mouth and cause ulcers. In addition to this discomfort, every time the braces are adjusted (which is every six to eight weeks in the case of my son) the teeth are physically moved – just a little – and this movement causes my son to experience terrible pain in his teeth. They ache and he does not like to eat hard foods or bite down with his teeth because the pain prevents him from being comfortable enough to enjoy his meal.
And I have been thinking about that, because the experience of wearing braces reminds me of the experience of preparing for eternal life…
Just as braces are an investment in the future of my son’s teeth and just as they cause pain to my son, there is suffering involved in preparing for eternal life. Without some suffering here on Earth, we will not be able to achieve the long-term goal of eternal life. And those goals are significant. Importantly, there is a significant amount of discomfort involved in the preparation for eternity. And it occurs to me today that if we are not even able to straighten out teeth a little bit without experiencing pain, how could I ever expect to achieve the PERFECTION of eternal life without a bit of suffering?
If moving teeth into position requires us to suffer, then how much more suffering is required to re-position my immortal soul? After all, who cares about teeth? In the scheme of things, teeth are unimportant, they have no impact on eternity… And if I am going to focus on the important things I would be wise to focus on the suffering… For suffering is my key to the Kingdom…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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