Thinking of toes
Recently I was soaking in a tub. I was fully immersed, with just my toes peeking above the water. I had nothing better to do, so I began thinking about toes. I’m a bit strange that way. Wouldn’t you agree? My wife would certainly agree!
Where was I? Oh yeah, toes. So, I’m looking at my toes. I’m comparing what they say about icebergs. You know, what you see above the surface is only 10% of the iceberg. Ninety percent is below the surface. As I looked at my tiny toes, I thought about how much of the rest of me was concealed beneath the water and bubbles.
Then I began to contemplate how important toes are, despite their minuscule size. I’ve talked to people who have lost a toe or two and they all comment on how it adversely affects their balance and ability to walk normally. Losing one’s big toe is especially tough.
My father died as a result of the amputation of his toe. It was more complicated than that. He had poor circulation. When his toe was cut off, he developed a blood clot that hit his heart and killed him. Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to descend into depressive thoughts.
Stop meandering and wandering, Bernstein! Back to toes! OK, OK!
I find it interesting that toes, being such a small part of one’s body, can have such a major effect on the rest of the body. Remember the last time you stubbed your toe? I mean, really smacked it hard? You may have been tempted to say a bad word or snipe at a loved one. Banging your little toe is very unpleasant.
Having grown up in the church, my mind connects to those parts of the Bible that talk about God’s people being like parts of the human body. All the parts are important. You might want to look up 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. When one part hurts, the whole body hurts. Remember that stubbed toe?
When I stub a toe or jam a finger, I remember how even the small and seemingly inconsequential parts of me are important. Maybe we should be thinking beyond the church to our entire society and agree that everybody is important, not just the big, famous, influential people. All lives matter!