There is a question I really hate to be asked. I’ve had it spoken to me many, many times over the years and I cringe every time I hear it. It’s usually said to me by a doctor and while I know they have my best interest in mind…it still irks me. The question I always dread hearing is, “On a scale of 1 to 10…with 10 being the worst…what is your pain level today?” Ugh. I just think that trying to put my pain level on a scale doesn’t really give a good picture of how I am feeling. Each person has their own pain tolerance, so a “4” on my scale may be a “2” or a “6” on someone else’s scale…so I just don’t think it reveals a lot of information.
I proved this point one day when I was asked this question by one of my doctors. My face immediately brightened as I told her that I was having a good day since my pain was about a 5 or a 6. She just shook her head and asked me if I realized that having a pain level of 5 or 6 was not a good thing…that they would like to get me to the place of no pain or at least minimal pain. I told her I understood that but having experienced many days in my life where my pain level was a 10+…I was quite satisfied to be down to a 5 or 6!
I’m just so thankful that I’m not asked this same question when I go to church. What would I answer if I walked into church some Sunday morning and my Pastor would stop me and ask, “LuAnn, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the farthest away and 1 being the closest…where do you see your relationship to Christ?” Would I answer him that I was content to be at a 5 or 6…because I’ve had times in my life when I’ve been much farther away from Christ so at least this was an improvement? Or, would I try to explain my place on the scale by telling him to look at “so and so”…you know…that other church member who appears to be a 7 or 8…so at least I’m better than that person. Hmmm…I’m not sure he would be very impressed with either of my answers.
I have a feeling that when I get to heaven and stand before Christ…He isn’t going to compare me to anyone else. I’m not going to slide in through the gates because I happen to be a notch closer to Christ than someone else. And, thankfully, I’m not going to be turned away from heaven because someone else looked more like Christ than I did. Oh, I am so thankful for His amazing grace!
As I have given this some thought, I’ve decided that in this particular area of life, we should never want to be “satisfied”. We should want to do whatever it takes to strengthen our relationship with our Jesus. We shouldn’t be content with just some improvement…we should want a huge improvement! We should want each day to bring us closer to that number “1” on the scale, knowing that if He has brought us to where we are today…He is more than able to take us the rest of the way!
Even though I really dislike this scale…maybe it would be a good idea to take some time this coming week to evaluate where my relationship with Christ is on the 1-10 scale…with 10 being the farthest away. Once I determine where I’m at…then hopefully I will be more intentional in doing those things that will draw me closer to Him. Will you join me? Let’s set our eyes on the #1 so that we will look more and more like Him!
“So all of us who have had that veil removed
can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.
And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more
like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
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