So much in
the news lately seems to fly in the face of our Christian beliefs; as I’ve
pondered why this should be, and what might be done about it, I’ve been
thinking a lot about three words: ‘back to basics.’ I believe it was Prime Minister John Major who
brought currency to the term not all that long ago. Among the ‘basics’ that have crossed my mind
has been the basic premise upon which this series of articles was founded many
years ago. That premise was the idea that
links can be observed, or without too much effort contrived, between aspects of
our faith and everyday things or happenings, so that the one can be seen as a
pointer to the other. I realise that my
articles have sometimes drifted away from that basic aim and, as it’s good once
in a while for any of us to stand back, reflect and re-affirm what it is we’re
doing, so now is as good a time as any for The
Gospel Around Us to do the same.
One of the
everyday ‘things’ that is basic and very important to each of us is our body,
and I’d like to focus this article on ten little parts of it that are almost
constantly visible and perhaps most frequently taken for granted – our fingernails. Apart from being at one extreme a convenient
surface for the application of coloured varnish, and at the other a fragile
substitute for a screwdriver, what use are they? They can be easily chipped or broken
(especially if used as screwdrivers!) and are then, if not painful, at least
most irritating. If assaulted by a heavy
article, e.g. a car door, then they are most definitely painful, and it takes
months for the resulting unsightly black part to grow out. Oh, and we shouldn’t forget that terrible
grating sound that could be produced by scraping them on a blackboard!
Maybe these
incidents are precise examples of one of the main functions of the fingernail –
to protect the finger; and if you ask a comedian what they’re for, he might
reply, ‘to stop your fingers fraying at the ends!’ – which, even if it seems a
silly idea, is quite true. So, what have
fingernails to do with our faith?
Instead of looking at them in bewilderment, take a look at Hebrews 12:2:
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith ... .” It was through Jesus, the Word, that God made
us: body soul and all (John 1:3.) He
made us perfect, right down to our fingernails.
That word
‘perfector’ is vital. It’s not just that
we were made without blemish; we were made complete ... even down to fastening
the ends of our fingers – we were properly finished off. Doesn’t that deserve, if not inspire, our
praise? No detail was overlooked in the
marvel of our creation. Then, after
we’ve exercised our freewill and messed up our lives, that same Jesus “by one
offering ... has perfected [us] for all time” (Heb. 10:14.)
When in
thoughtful mood, we are likely to drop our eyes and gaze reflectively at our fingernails. Next time you find yourself doing that, I
pray you will recall these paragraphs, and call to mind our amazing faith, and
the incredible gift of life that God has given us.
