Leading With My Knee

There I was face down on the ground staring at the dirt three inches from my nose with a sharp stabbing pain in my left chest, and a dull ache in my left leg.

I laid very still for 15 to 30 seconds assessing my physical condition, nothing seemed to be broken, all my parts moved on command. Then I turned about half over and started removing the motorcycle from my left leg. That was when I discovered a rip in my pants and a sharp pain coming from my left knee cap; a few seconds before my knee cap was covered with skin, but now it was white gristle and oozing plasma.





The day before I had purchased a second hand Yamaha 200 cc Big Wheel (dirt bike) and today I was checking it out on the trails at the river. After two hours of progressing from smaller to larger hills, and lots of riding in the river bottom sand I’d decided this bike was a 'sand machine'. So, I turned out of the river bottom onto a sandy trail at a faster than normal speed, just to check out its handling qualities. I came into this harmless looking sandy curve ... and the next thing I knew I was looking at the ground, close up! My knee was skinned, my chest pain was caused from landing on my left fist, but the biggest damage was to my macho dirt bike rider image.

During the next few days I became painfully aware of all of the things a knee cap is good for; that is where my left pants leg touches my body (perhaps the only place), it is what holds up my right calf when my legs are crossed, it is my 'shover' when pushing in trailer end gates, it strikes the ground first when kneeling, it is the first point of contact when going through narrow places, and it holds the bed covers at night. Knee caps work wonderfully well when covered with skin, but they complain and make the whole body suffer when asked to do the same task with raw flesh exposed.

When I was with a group of people I noticed how few (none in fact) were aware of the terrific service they were getting from their knee caps. Mine hurt, but they took theirs for granted.

Over the next couple of weeks as my body repaired the damage I reflected on how much the human race is like the human body. All of the body is fit together such that when any part of the body hurts, the whole body hurts, and the hurting part gets special attention (dry it tenderly, put salve on it, bandage it, keep it away from things, ...).

God made the human race to have fellowship with Himself; He made us in His image. Then He sent His Son to help those of us that are hurting. His Son is the shepherd that leaves the 99 contented sheep and goes after the one that is lost. He said he came to seek and to save those of us that are estranged from His father. He is the great physician that binds up His hurting people.

It gives me great comfort to know that Jesus said HE is the head of 'His Body', the church. Thanks to His free offer, I am a member of His body – the universal church. I know (from my dirt bike experience) that when any member of the body hurts the head gives it special attention.

It is beyond my comprehension how the God that created the universe can focus some part of His attention on one human that is hurting and give him a peace in the heart that passes understanding. I only know that He promises to do it, and it works for me.

Because He loves me so, and has done so much for me I therefore give Him my allegiance. It is the greatest bargain in the universe.


P.S. The dirt bike was not hurt, the knee cap healed, and I am hoping my macho dirt-bike-riding ego will recover in due time.