To make the wounded whole

I’ve got a little burn on my finger, the index finger of my right hand. It’s on the side of my fingertip so it doesn’t really get in the way. It’s just there, reminding me of the night I pulled the taco shells out of the oven using only a rag. A poor choice perhaps. Not the first poor choice and almost certainly not the last. But this particular choice has left a blister as a reminder.

Pretty much every poor choice gives you a reminder though, doesn’t it? Not all visible, certainly, but plenty of blisters for sure. They get tender, and then they get tight, and then they get kind of dry and flaky and rough. The ones on the skin are easily enough dealt with if you’ve got some Warren Wilson College All Heal Salve. Just put a bit of that on there every day and the skin will get right.

It’s harder, though, if the blisters aren’t on the skin. There’s not an All Heal Salve for those rough places. Those take more of a spiritual balm. Todd Donatelli preached on this today, the balm, the oil described in the 23rd psalm. I’ll give him credit for not overdoing it, but it was a good day to hear about a restoring comfort. There has been a lot of loss this week. I know of three people who have passed away rather suddenly in the last seven days. If religion doesn’t move me to act with compassion and work for justice then I’m not sure I want it, but there are times when I just get weary and rest is what I need.