Grafting and Pain

It is just a little ironic that the day after I spoke on “Grafting,” I actually had a tissue graft done in my mouth. (Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?) This past Monday, they sliced out a chunk of gums from the top of my mouth and attached it to the front of my mouth. It took about an hour. I experienced no pain. I did close my eyes the entire time so I couldn’t see any of the instruments going in or stuff coming out. Yet, there was no pain. Even as I write this article today (the afternoon of the procedure), I’m experiencing no discomfort. I have some wads of silly putty in my mouth to protect the areas that were worked on, but so far no pain. I just can’t eat much and can’t speak. Thank goodness for shakes.

What a gift it is that technology and medicine have advanced to the place where these procedures can be done quickly and with little (if any) discomfort. The ability to numb is quite remarkable. It definitely leads to some funny feelings and awkward moments, but it also keeps the nerves from sending the PAIN message to your brain.

We can’t say the same thing about being grafted into Christ. With grafting comes pain. If we are to remain connected to the vine and bear fruit, we can’t avoid pain. The “dying” to self that the Bible talks about is not an easy process. It is hard to experience and it is hard work to let our “self’s” die.

It is interesting how many opportunities there are in our lives to pursue numbness. Our world offers all sorts of opportunities to avoid and deaden pain. The obvious ones are drugs and alcohol, but other common numbing agents are busyness, entertainment, avoidance, denial, distractions, etc. We are good at avoiding pain. In fact, for some it seems to be the purpose of our existence. If the number one desire is pleasure it makes sense that what we seek to avoid (at all costs) is pain.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not promoting a masochistic approach to life where we define success based on the amount of pain. Instead, I am acknowledging that the primary purpose of the Christian life is not the avoidance of pain and would add that being grafted into Jesus inevitably means suffering and pain. That’s why it’s not the easy path. That’s why Paul promised persecution and Jesus promised that we’d be hated by the world. That’s why rejection cannot be avoided or “tickling” the ears of men embraced.

You might argue, “Well, of course, suffering and pain are inevitable. We all live in a broken world.” I would agree, but also add, imagine the choice the disciples had following Jesus’ death and resurrection. They could have chosen to stop risking their lives for his sake. Yes, their lives would have some experience of suffering due to the brokenness of this world, but do you think it would have cost them their lives? Would they have been martyred if they had rejected Jesus and stopped following? I doubt it.

Do you think our friend and his family in Nigeria would experience the same level of suffering if they chose not to obey God’s commands to reach the Muslim world for Christ? Do you think our friends in Nepal would experience the same level of persecution if they chose to reject God’s call to reach the lost in Nepal? Do you think your middle class, American life will be the same if you fully commit yourself to following Jesus Christ? Do you think it will be just like your non-Christian neighbors?

But what’s interesting about this discussion is that it really is not about the pain or suffering. Those are natural consequences to denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus. They are not the focus. He is. His life is. The experience of purpose and hope that His life brings far outweighs the costs, even when the cost is your life. I know that few of us have ever been in a situation where our faith might cost us our lives, but whether we’ve experienced it or not doesn’t mean it isn’t true. How far do you take it when Jesus says, “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life”? (John 12:25) Is there anything that God could ask you to give up that would cause you to reject Him and say, No? Your health, family, possessions, job, house, life?