Last Tuesday I woke up in pain. Not the mild ache you brush aside, but the sort of throbbing pain that pulsed with every heartbeat. And it was all coming from my big toe.
What could it be?
And it had to happen just as Killy and I were boarding a 20-hour flight from London to Sydney, Australia.
On the plane, fellow passengers watched films, sipped wine and dozed peacefully. Meanwhile, my toe staged a percussion concert of throbbing.
By the time we landed on Wednesday evening, I was limping. But it was too late to see anybody about it so I endured one more night, attempting the impossible task of keeping the duvet hovering above my foot.
At last, on Thursday, deliverance arrived in the form of Samantha the podiatrist. Calm and professional, she examined the toe, reached for tools, and with one swift movement she plucked out the culprit.
The root cause?
A humungous in-growing toe nail.
That tiny crescent of nail had reduced me, an international evangelist, to a hobbling wreck. The relief was instant. The pain lifted. My toe practically burst into the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’.
The Worst-Case Scenario
But what if Samantha hadn’t acted? An untreated in-growing toe nail can be far more serious than most realise:
- The nail keeps digging in, the skin breaks and bacteria invade.
- Infection sets in – redness, swelling, pus and constant pain.
- Leave it longer and abscesses form.
- Still ignore it? The infection spreads to the bone – osteomyelitis.
- For diabetics, the result can be ulcers, gangrene, even amputation.
Imagine explaining at the pearly gates: ‘Well, Lord, I ignored my big toe, and now here I am.’
This Saga Got Me Thinking About Spiritual Parallels
If something as small as a nail can wreak such havoc physically, what about spiritually?
We all harbour in-grown attitudes:
- In-grown resentment that festers until it poisons joy.
- In-grown pride that swells until it cripples humility.
- In-grown unforgiveness that cuts deeper and deeper, damaging relationships.
Left unchecked, these things spread. Hebrews 12:15 (NIV) warns: ‘See to it . . . that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.’
But Jesus, the Great Physician, doesn’t just soothe the pain; he removes the root. Yes, his work may sting at first, but the healing, the freedom and the relief are real and lasting.
The Final Twist
Of course, I didn’t just thank Samantha and leave. I gave her some free marital advice and invited her to church to hear me preach. After all, she saved my toe – I’d love her to meet the One who can save her soul.
A Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that you care about every detail of our lives, even sore toes. But you also care about the hidden things: pride, bitterness and unforgiveness. Today, be my Physician. Remove what is festering in me. Pull out anything dark that has taken root in me. Heal me with your saving grace, fill me with your Holy Spirit, and help me to walk with you, whole, joyful and free. Amen.
Grace and peace,
J.John
