“Are you sure you can eat this?”
“I should be ok. Even if it has the meat product my body doesn’t like, there should be no more than a trace. I will be ok.”
As I look back I am fortunate that my body’s response was not more immediate. I was a long way from home. There were miles to ride, borders to pass, and things to do. As I think of the sharp stomach pains that followed, I keep replaying the question, wondering if my answer is going to change.
“Are you sure you can eat this?”
The questioning of my response is an old one. I know my body does not like certain food products. There is a predictable response the follows every time! I do not have to know that the particular ingredient is in the food, my body will take care of that. What I need to do is to anticipate, be discipline, and move onto something that works.
I know but at times I am careless or thoughtless. On this particular evening, it was thoughtless. I had the warning in the question. Not once, but twice! I look back and see that someone tried. “That’s right – he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards,” (Psalm 91.3) unless of course you insist on walking into the trap.
Consequences follow choices and actions. On occasion we may not notice them. In this case, there were multiple displays. As I look forward after the aftermath, I hope I remember the pain, overwhelming sense of helplessness, and inability to do much for myself. I want to remember in context of an angel’s voice asking me if I was sure.
Life is on our side, even when everything seems to be working against us. There are multiple channels that warn, remind, and caution.
Pain in our lives comes from multiple source. A significant contributor is, as in this case, our own actions! I have no one to blame but myself.
What follows is an opportunity to learn in a spirit of thankfulness.
