Here you can see a photo of hubby’s steel-toed shoes as he is about to load a round up onto the log-splitter.
Because the rounds are so huge, the initial “crack!” on the splitter propels the two separate halves apart and off the splitter, where they fall on either side with a heavy thud! Hubby’s job of loading the splitter puts his feet right in the way of having enormous log chunks land on his toes. Hence the steel-toed shoes … which work fabulously.
I, on the other hand, do not have steel-toed shoes. The other day, as a huge round cracked apart and fell off in huge chunks, one of the chunks accidentally landed on my foot. It hurt!
There is a certain amount of risk involved when it comes to log-splitting.
So also, when it comes to having a relationship with someone, there is a certain amount of risk involved. If we are to truly have a relationship with someone, it requires that we open up our heart … and by nature, when we open up our heart to someone else, we become vulnerable to getting hurt.
Life exerts pressure!
Under the pressure-situations of life, those with whom we are in relationship will inevitably experience a “crack!” And when this happens, their burdens sometimes roll off and land on whoever is nearby … most often those with whom they are the closest.
A thoughtless word, carelessly tossed out … which lands hard and heavy on our soul! It hurts!! Painfully!!
Rudeness.
Self-absorption to the point of being completely blind to the burdens and struggles of anyone else around.
It hurts!!
What we need is “steel-toed shoes” … we need the Holy Spirit to put steel in our spine and strengthen us to be able to bear up under the fall-out “dropped” on us by those with whom we are the closest.
Colossians 1:11 – “… being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience …”
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear … He will provide a way so that you can stand up under it.”
Ephesians 6:14-15 – “Stand firm then … with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
