Hernia Repair

I heard something in a message today at church that just nailed me.  He mentioned that many of us may have spiritual hernias from carrying too much weight.  The weight, a result of what he called our human, almost ingrown need to do what he termed "thin slicing". 

"Thin Slicing":  zeroing in on the cultural, appearance, racial, economic, etc. differences of others we come in contact with.  In a way, profiling.  In a way, judging others by our own assumptions, which may or may not be good or fair assumptions (and usually aren't).

So how does "thin slicing" weigh us down so that we get spiritual hernias you ask.  Here's an example from my own walk down life's road. As I mentioned  in a post of a few weeks ago ("I Hate That"..3/27) I grew up with some very strong negative assumptions about any ethnic group other than white (and particularly blacks), and any who were not heterosexual.  In doing so, I was weighed down spiritually because my focus was on anything but the hearts of those others.  I would never have considered any, at the time, to be friends or folks to be with.  I carried their weaknesses and "faults" in an unhealthy context, instead of realizing that it was God's business....and I assumed that they had those weaknesses and faults just because of my own "thin slicing".  With that kind of "thin slicing" there is no room for unity, compassion, learning, or love.  And that is the weight that weighs down the heart and causes spiritual hernias.

In the everyday world, even as self professed christian men, husband, and fathers, how much do we "thin slice" and not even realize it?

• do we do it with the other kids our kids play with?
• do we do it with associates, customers, clients, at work?
• do we do it with others in our church?

Bottom line:  God doesn't thin slice at all....because He loves us all....unconditionally.  And if we follow Jesus, we too won't thin slice....and we won't get spiritual hernias.

 

If we put it all into God's hands, our spiritual hernias will be repaired.