Like a sore thumb

You Stick out like a sore thumb is an idiom that’s been used for centuries to describe something that’s obviously out of place.

If you’ve ever injured a limb you know your natural instinct is to protect it. For someone like me who tends to be prone to clumsiness I’ve had my fair share of sore toes and thumbs. It’s amazing how such a small body part can cause so much ridiculous pain that it makes you want to crawl up in a ball & cry like a baby. The thumb in particular when injured usually forces someone to hold it at an odd, stiff angle which is pretty obvious to a casual observer. If a thumb is seriously injured than it has to be bandaged making it near impossible to hold in a natural position and even more impossible to conceal it from others.

This had me wondering why sticking out like a sore thumb is so often used in a negative connotation. I mean if I have an injured thumb with a bandage I’m trying to let people know, “hey there’s something different going on with my thumb here, you can look at it, laugh at it, ask me what happened if you’d like but I’m sticking it out so you know!”

It got me thinking why we’re so cautious about sticking ourselves out there. Maybe we’re afraid of looking different than everyone else or maybe we’re afraid to admit we’re hurt, that we need help. But it all seems to come down to one thing, fear.

If you stick a sore or seriously injured thumb in your pocket, or if the injury isn't visible but more on the inside and you don’t bandage it, then it can appear to be just fine. But then you run the risk of re-injuring it. The same protective instinct which is designed to cushion an injured limb can actually make it prone to risk. If you don’t allow your thumb to stick out than it could blend in with the other non-injured fingers.

Blended -the idea of being mixed with another so that something (or one) is not clearly distinguishable from another.

Our preacher did a sermon on Sunday about stepping out of line. It was Amazing.And it got me thinking how much of my life I’ve wasted just "blending in." Before I grew closer to Christ I used to care what people thought. Sure they knew I was a “Christian” but all they really knew that meant was that I went to church & there were certain things I didn’t do. What God has shown me over the last several years I can now see my life was not a true reflection of who Jesus is, of what he’s done in my life. I never truly stuck out like a sore thumb. My relationship with Christ was more of a religion, not my identity. The world is full of sore thumbs, none of  us are perfect. All of us have or are experiencing hurt in one way or another. But not all of us are willing to stick out.

Putting yourself out there, stepping out of the cultural line, and going against the “norm” can be intimidating. Like a sore thumb, you’re admitting "I’m okay to be different, I’m hurting, I’m not like the rest." I’ve learned that the only way to heal from hurts, to truly be who God created me to be, is to step out of that line...to stick out.

Through my illness over the last few years & Jeremy & I joining Revolution Church God has brought me out of my comfort zone & revealed to me what it truly means to be a Christian, to follow Jesus Christ. I mean let's get real, God didn't just nudge me or gently pull me out of that line, He yanked my butt out! Was it painful? Absofrigginlutely. Worth it? More than I can ever express. It means you’re probably going to lose some “friends”, people may make fun of you, judge you, not understand you. You may experience hurt; you may have to show boldness when all you want to do is hide. But through that I’ve seen just how incredibly powerful my God is.

As Christians the world should see us trying to imitate Christ because that is who we are called to follow. 

“Ye are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14) Also, He said to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. “ Matthew 5:16 

I know it’s easier to blend in with the world, I know it’s scary to stand out but I also know from personal experience the undeniable joy, incredible peace, and purpose you can feel when you choose to come out of the comfortable, safe, & worldly accepted line and choose to step out in faith & see what God has in store.

Just like a sticking out a sore thumb can make it prone to risk, putting ourselves out there can make us a big target for pain. But if we trust the God who created us, I mean really trust Him then we can step out knowing that while he may allow us to stumble He’ll never let us fall. He'll never allow pain without allowing something new to be born from it. We can know that whatever may come our way that God can and will handle it.

Hebrews 13:8 says  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Meaning He can still heal us, he can still perform miracles; he can still call us to walk on water, to reach the impossible, to love the unlovable. If we choose to follow Him He will make sure that our step of faith will be more than worth it.

I'm so thankful God allowed this illness in my life to pull me out of line.God does not enjoy seeing us suffer but He does enjoy what He can accomplish through it. Jeremy and I feel so blessed to have discovered a church of sore thumbs that aren’t afraid to stick out. For the 1st time in my life I'm truly living for Christ and it feels AMAZING. I don't want people to just hear me say I'm a Christian, I want them to see Christ in me...and if that means I have to stick out like a sore thumb, then so be it...after all I do enjoy some thumbs up:)

“Wherefore, come out from among them and be separate saith the Lord….” II Corinthians 6:17