"Painful Sneezing"

 

“Painful Sneezing”

 

One of the zaniest characters in baseball history was Jay Hanna (Dizzy) Dean, who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs during the 1930’s. Despite winning only 150 games he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1953 because his playing time was shortened by a broken toe in 1937 which ruined his arm. How could this happen because the two body parts are five feet away from each other? His foot problem caused him to change his stride which increased pressure on his arm and shoulder. Consequently he never was able to regain his former effectiveness so in reality it was a career-ending injury.

Two years ago I fell on my left side and probably cracked a rib or two. (How I did this will remain in the confidential file since it wasn’t the smartest action of my life!) The pain was manageable for the most part with one notable exception: sneezing, even though my nose and mouth are a couple of feet from my injury spot.

Both these stories illustrate that our bodies are interconnected so what happens to one part can impact another (or maybe several). Paul used an analogy reflecting this principle when he wrote, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it….” (1 Corinthians 12:26). As the people of God we’re joined together through our faith in Christ so that, even though we’re individuals with our warts, strengths and weaknesses, “…in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:5). So none of us can say we don’t need anyone else—God has created us for interaction with one another (“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”—Galatians 6:2).

So when the pollen count is high and your body feels the impact of an explosive involuntary expulsion of air from your nose and mouth (aka a sneeze) think of how you may be affecting those around you. May it motivate you (and me) to “Be kind and compassionate to one another….” (Ephesians 4:32).

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan