Thursday 12 January 2012

Ouch! An iPhone injury!

I'm blaming my new iPhone! It is heavier than the old one, but I think the main problem is I discovered a Kindle app. Now I can buy books from Amazon and read them on my phone. Surprisingly,it is comfortable and easy. On Saturday, I read a good size novel that I couldn't source any other way. And I enjoyed it! 
Then I started to read my Bible on the phone, daily, about 8 or 9 chapters a day. I'm reading the Message, but with a click on a button and I can select another version for comparison. 
All of that is fantastic but I've fallen victim to an ailment of the technology age. RSI. Yes I have a repetitive strain injury in my left thumb, caused by the hours of holding the phone and flicking or scrolling pages. Ouch!
I didn't realise how much I rely on my left thumb. It is nearly impossible to rest it. My right hand is helping in any way it can and the fingers on the left hand are trying to shelter it to give it time to recover. Even the arm and shoulders are taking an increased load!
Which reminds me of Paul's teaching about the importance of every part of the body of Christ. Every person is important, no matter how insignificant that part of the body may appear! One part hurts, all parts are affected.
The rest of my body may not have noticed the problem in the thumb except for the pain which stopped the body working in its normal efficient way. If there is a need of ground pepper another part of the body will have to step up and help!
Similarly, I know a member of the body of Christ that is suffering from RSI. Too much service, even though enjoyable, has caused pain in this part of the body. For a while the member kept trying to do everything asked of her, but there was too much. The pain signified a problem: not just a pain in a person, but a discomfort that affects everyone in the body. The members close to the affected area are carrying extra load for a while until the problem is sorted and the pain eases.
And today I've talked to another part of the body that's had emotional RSI for years and years. The rest needed to recover hasn't been taken. The injury is now severe and the body of Christ is weaker because of it.
So today I'm wondering how often I've overlooked a part of the body that is pain? Have I helped to bring healing and wholeness, or have I judged that member of the family, and, in my ignorance, left the body, of which I'm a part, weaker and disabled.

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