I got trapped in a jumpsuit while in a thrift store dressing room. (I realize I’m giving quite a bit away, even considering the title. But really, when you think about it, it takes a good first line to open a story, like ’It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’, or ’Go, dog, go!’ ).
Towards the end of my college career, I went to a local thrift store with Bill, a freshman that year and fellow food service employee.. This store has a large variety of items from clothing to old books to scary looking VHS tapes that aren’t dirty but aren’t really clean either.
I wasn’t looking for anything in particular at the time, so I just drifted through the aisles. I had found all sorts of cool things in the past, and I was not disappointed this day, either; for there, right in front of my eyes, were a few sets of coveralls, the kind mechanics wear.
I began to flip through them, searching for my size, when I came upon the suit for me. On first inspection, it met all of my qualifications: the tag said extra large. I took it to the dressing room and began to put it on. Does it fit the legs? Check. Waist? Check. Arms and back? Kind of tight, maybe I should stop zipping right now and get out of this thing.
Oh crap, we hit a snag here. My arms don’t want to pull out of the sleeves. Maybe if I pull a little slower…Nope. Maybe if I bend…Danggit. Wait… Nope again. Well I am definitely stuck. There’s nothing left to do but go out and ask for help. That’s the mature, responsible thing to do. Unless… Ow, ow, ow! Time to go out for real. Crap.
I unlatch the dressing room door and peek my head out, scanning the immediate vicinity for Bill. While I do not know Bill as well as one should before they ask them for help in extricating oneself from a used jumpsuit, but I felt like it was really the best option. Bill is not in my immediate line of sight. I lean out the door a little further and scan the perimeter. Nope.
So I walked out in the ill-fitting jumpsuit, looked around until I found Bill, had him come back to help me, and my coveralled nightmare was over. Psych! Seriously, would this story have really mattered enough to warrant a post, much less teach me something valuable if I had behaved in the right way?
No, I went back in and tried to get out by myself. And you know what? I made it out of that jumpsuit. It probably didn’t take very long, but it felt like forever. At one point I was considering if it would be easier to cut the suit open with my fingernail clippers or simply just dislocate my shoulder. By the end of the whole thing, I’m pretty sure I sweated in places I didn’t know had sweat glands.
Ultimately, not trying the coveralls on would have been the best decision, but after that the best decision would have been to swallow my pride and find someone to help me get out. But instead I tried to go it alone.
By using the world around us, God is constantly trying to get our attention, to reveal to us the nature of reality. When I was stuck in a jumpsuit, I think God was saying ‘Karl, it’s okay. You’re stuck, and it’s scary and awkward, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. I know you’re embarrassed, but that’s okay. I know you feel vulnerable already, but if you are willing to be a little more vulnerable, it’ll all be over really quick. Help is available if you reach for it.’
And, as previously explained, I almost ripped my arm off trying to get out by myself.
When we are in trouble, there is always the option to turn and ask for help. With God it is never too late. As the Body of Christ, we are to share each other’s burdens, carrying one another when we cannot stand ourselves, and ultimately pointing each other to the Great Physician, who is Jesus himself.
This is something that cannot happen however, if we stay in the dressing room and only peak around the corner of the door. God is within reach; He has not moved and is reaching out for you as far as He can. God knows that you need Him and no matter what you have done or how long you have fought against Him, He is slow to anger and abounding in love. He is near and not far; His ears and His heart are wide open, waiting for nothing else than for you to speak to Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment