Nails & Fleas & Eyes To See
I'm starting to think it's a special talent I have. But, I'm not sure that it would make a great party trick. I'm not double jointed, so I can't impress others with how I can contort my body. I don't know how to twist a cherry stem in my mouth and form it into a knot. And I can't say the alphabet backwards. No, my special skills are far more fun than any of that. Ready for it?
Nail and flea finding.
Yes, you read that correctly. Nails and fleas.
Nails. The ones already hammered into the side of a wall or wooden steps but are sticking out just far enough that you can get snagged on them, scratched by them, or punctured by them. I lean up against my living room wall and when I pull away, the threads on my sweater are getting pulled apart by one. I'm wiping down my wooden steps and my hand catches something sticking out. I think to myself, "Wow, I'm so glad I found this before the dog or one of the kids steps on it with their bare feet (and paws)." I go to a friend's house for a kid's party where they are doing some home repairs, and I find an extremely sharp one sticking out, enough to do some damage if anyone puts their hand up against it. No one else sees these nails. No one else realizes they're even there. I just happen to see or bump into them. And I'm always so glad when I do because then I can take action and do something to prevent anyone from getting hurt by them.
Fleas. OK, let me begin with this: I love my thrift store. No really. This place is like a discount Macy's. I don't know who drops off this stuff. They can't be from my middle class neighborhood. Brand name things, some with the tags still on them. Pants that would cost $90 are $3.99. And if it's labeled with one of the "colors of the day", you get it half price! Winner, winner chicken dinner!
It's not too far from my house, so I like to pop in now and again, even if I don't have something specifically in mind. One particular day, I was looking through their scarf rack and saw a beautiful warm, cozy, white scarf. Just perfect for those slightly chilly days when you're looking to stay warm and fashionable at the same time. How lovely. I thought to myself as I held it up at a 90 degree angle from the rack. Maybe I'll give this to my sis... but before I could finish forming my thought, I saw the scarf move. I blinked hard. Did I just see what I think I saw? I thought. Surely not. I looked a little closer at the speck I swore just changed position on the apparel. Trying to convince myself that I was seeing things, I touched the scarf a little closer to the speck and as my hand put pressure on the material, I watched it take about a 2 inch leap! YIIIIKKKEES! I jumped back and gasped, trying to remember how easy it is with my type of personality to make a scene in public. I looked around to see if anyone noticed the dance I had just done. I was completely horrified and startled.
I've been coming to this thrift store for probably 15 years, and never once have encountered a bug. But alas, there it was and now I was faced with a choice. Do I walk away and pretend I never saw it, removing myself from all of it? Or will I do something about it so no one ends up buying it and infecting their home with the critters? I'm going to be honest here. At first, I walked away. (Don't judge me!) I walked away out of pure horror and self protection. I grabbed my other items I was looking to purchase and walked quickly to the register. But as I was checking out, I heard the Lord say, "Tell her." I knew what He meant. Tell the clerk about the white, infected scarf. I silently went back and forth with God as I swiped my debit card in the machine. I really don't want to make a fuss and potentially cause a scene here, Lord. "Tell her" He reiterated. "You saw it so you could take action and protect the next person who picks it up who doesn't see it." Ugh. As usual, He was right.
So, as I grabbed my purchase from the counter I said to the clerk, "Um, I may have just been seeing things, but, uh...I think I saw a bug or two on a scarf back there." I winced as I said it in an almost apologetic tone. The bugs weren't my fault, but I still felt bad to be the one to point it out. I didn't want to embarrass the clerk.
The clerk's eyes widened. "Oh." she said.
"Would you like me to go get it so no one ends up buying it?" I asked, immediately regretting my offer to do so because now I was going to have to go back and pick it up myself! What the heck was I saying? Think before you speak, Valerie!
"Oh, sure, thanks." the clerk responded.
I could almost hear the Mission Impossible theme playing in my head as I went back, picked it up by the hanger and held it arms length away from myself. Holding my breath and walking as fast as I could without creating suspicion, I came back to the counter, gave it to the clerk who immediately put it in a trash bag and knotted the opening several times. It felt like I was suddenly on some sort of SWAT team that swiftly moved in, took charge, and completed a successful mission! Go team! I had never been so happy to see something thrown away in my whole life.
What's my point in all this? (Besides probably making you itchy from head to toe as you read this.)
Eyes. Having eyes to see. Eyes to see the nails. Eyes to the fleas. Not just the ones in the natural. The ones in the spirit, too. The things that God shows us that are potentially harmful to others. He lets us bump into the "nails" in our own household so we can pray and protect our loved ones. He reveals the "nails" in other people's homes so we can intercede for them and "hit the nail on the head", so to speak, with accurate, timely prayers for them. And He gives us eyes to see the "fleas" that are camping out in plain sight in our world that no one else seems to notice. And God is asking us what we're going to do about it. He shows us not so we can have our own freak-out moment and run away, but so we can take action and remove the threat!
So, my friend, here are our questions for today:
Do you see the "nails"? Do you see the "fleas"? If you do, then praise God because He has given you eyes to see them. But now what will you do with it? Will you pray? Will you take action, as God leads you? Or will you walk away like I did at first in the store? There is always a reason God shows us things. And it's never to just do nothing.
Nail and flea finding.
Yes, you read that correctly. Nails and fleas.
Nails. The ones already hammered into the side of a wall or wooden steps but are sticking out just far enough that you can get snagged on them, scratched by them, or punctured by them. I lean up against my living room wall and when I pull away, the threads on my sweater are getting pulled apart by one. I'm wiping down my wooden steps and my hand catches something sticking out. I think to myself, "Wow, I'm so glad I found this before the dog or one of the kids steps on it with their bare feet (and paws)." I go to a friend's house for a kid's party where they are doing some home repairs, and I find an extremely sharp one sticking out, enough to do some damage if anyone puts their hand up against it. No one else sees these nails. No one else realizes they're even there. I just happen to see or bump into them. And I'm always so glad when I do because then I can take action and do something to prevent anyone from getting hurt by them.
Fleas. OK, let me begin with this: I love my thrift store. No really. This place is like a discount Macy's. I don't know who drops off this stuff. They can't be from my middle class neighborhood. Brand name things, some with the tags still on them. Pants that would cost $90 are $3.99. And if it's labeled with one of the "colors of the day", you get it half price! Winner, winner chicken dinner!
It's not too far from my house, so I like to pop in now and again, even if I don't have something specifically in mind. One particular day, I was looking through their scarf rack and saw a beautiful warm, cozy, white scarf. Just perfect for those slightly chilly days when you're looking to stay warm and fashionable at the same time. How lovely. I thought to myself as I held it up at a 90 degree angle from the rack. Maybe I'll give this to my sis... but before I could finish forming my thought, I saw the scarf move. I blinked hard. Did I just see what I think I saw? I thought. Surely not. I looked a little closer at the speck I swore just changed position on the apparel. Trying to convince myself that I was seeing things, I touched the scarf a little closer to the speck and as my hand put pressure on the material, I watched it take about a 2 inch leap! YIIIIKKKEES! I jumped back and gasped, trying to remember how easy it is with my type of personality to make a scene in public. I looked around to see if anyone noticed the dance I had just done. I was completely horrified and startled.
I've been coming to this thrift store for probably 15 years, and never once have encountered a bug. But alas, there it was and now I was faced with a choice. Do I walk away and pretend I never saw it, removing myself from all of it? Or will I do something about it so no one ends up buying it and infecting their home with the critters? I'm going to be honest here. At first, I walked away. (Don't judge me!) I walked away out of pure horror and self protection. I grabbed my other items I was looking to purchase and walked quickly to the register. But as I was checking out, I heard the Lord say, "Tell her." I knew what He meant. Tell the clerk about the white, infected scarf. I silently went back and forth with God as I swiped my debit card in the machine. I really don't want to make a fuss and potentially cause a scene here, Lord. "Tell her" He reiterated. "You saw it so you could take action and protect the next person who picks it up who doesn't see it." Ugh. As usual, He was right.
So, as I grabbed my purchase from the counter I said to the clerk, "Um, I may have just been seeing things, but, uh...I think I saw a bug or two on a scarf back there." I winced as I said it in an almost apologetic tone. The bugs weren't my fault, but I still felt bad to be the one to point it out. I didn't want to embarrass the clerk.
The clerk's eyes widened. "Oh." she said.
"Would you like me to go get it so no one ends up buying it?" I asked, immediately regretting my offer to do so because now I was going to have to go back and pick it up myself! What the heck was I saying? Think before you speak, Valerie!
"Oh, sure, thanks." the clerk responded.
I could almost hear the Mission Impossible theme playing in my head as I went back, picked it up by the hanger and held it arms length away from myself. Holding my breath and walking as fast as I could without creating suspicion, I came back to the counter, gave it to the clerk who immediately put it in a trash bag and knotted the opening several times. It felt like I was suddenly on some sort of SWAT team that swiftly moved in, took charge, and completed a successful mission! Go team! I had never been so happy to see something thrown away in my whole life.
What's my point in all this? (Besides probably making you itchy from head to toe as you read this.)
Eyes. Having eyes to see. Eyes to see the nails. Eyes to the fleas. Not just the ones in the natural. The ones in the spirit, too. The things that God shows us that are potentially harmful to others. He lets us bump into the "nails" in our own household so we can pray and protect our loved ones. He reveals the "nails" in other people's homes so we can intercede for them and "hit the nail on the head", so to speak, with accurate, timely prayers for them. And He gives us eyes to see the "fleas" that are camping out in plain sight in our world that no one else seems to notice. And God is asking us what we're going to do about it. He shows us not so we can have our own freak-out moment and run away, but so we can take action and remove the threat!
So, my friend, here are our questions for today:
Do you see the "nails"? Do you see the "fleas"? If you do, then praise God because He has given you eyes to see them. But now what will you do with it? Will you pray? Will you take action, as God leads you? Or will you walk away like I did at first in the store? There is always a reason God shows us things. And it's never to just do nothing.
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