In my mind's eye a scene has been played out.
In the darkness a decision was made. It was a decision that would impact my body for a long time. I was concerned about the difference it would make once it was finished. I was worried for many things. How would my body function afterwards? How would it do the things it did before? How would the rest of my body feel? All these questions were put on hold because it was time. My hand had to go. Amputation was the only way.
I couldn't understand it really. I mean, my hand was so healthy. It had strong blood pumping through it. It had feeling. It wasn't numb. The joints worked and the grasp was strong. It wasn't causing me any pain. I really didn't understand why it had to go. So, I asked. Actually, I felt like screaming the question, "Why must I lose my hand? It is healthy!"
"That is the problem." came the solemn response. "It is too healthy. The rest of the body cannot keep up. The legs are paralyzed. The arms can't reach. The head cannot think. The mouth cannot proclaim. It has lost it's voice. The eyes are dim. Their vision is almost gone. Your hand is too healthy for this body. If it cannot wither, it cannot remain."
Silently I succumbed to the amputation. My heart wept...but not just for my hand. My heart wept for the whole body. I knew a Great Physician that could heal my body but I could not will my legs to walk. I could not will my arms to reach out nor my voice to cry out.
Once they finished the procedure my hand was tossed carelessly into the garbage. I had worried in vain about the impact of my amputation. That worry was a delusion because my body did not even acknowledge that the hand was gone. I knew. I could feel where the cut had been made. My hand, though separated, crawled out from the garbage and, like something from a movie, crawled out the door.
It still had life and it was taking itself to the Great Physician to be healed. I wanted to follow it but I was worried about leaving my withered body behind. I felt caught in between but knew I had a decision to make.
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Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (emphasis on vv. 20-26)
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
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