The Root of the Problem

Wow, it has only been two days of this week and already been somewhat eventful.  Monday I went to the chiropractor's office for my back and got a deep tissue massage.  She said she was "stretching" the muscles on the side of the one that was pulled or kinked.  That was no relaxing massage!  It hurt so much that I had to keep reminding myself to breathe.  But when I walked into the office it was partially bent over and when I left I was totally upright!  Today I was so incredibly sore, but still upright and the lower back seems fine, so all is good!  She went deep to the root of the problem, and though it was painful, it was beneficial.

We had our first Girl Scout regular meeting last night. Came home aftwerward and Barkley had this large patch of fur missing off of his backside and top of his back.  Now he has been shedding lately, which is odd for him because he has never, ever shed before.  But this was nearly bald!  I took him to the vet today and it turns out he is allergic to fleas, and though doesn't currently have any fleas that they could see, he apparently has been exposed to some.  It made him itch and he was biting to scratch himself.  They gave him some super strength flea meds and anti-itch meds, so hopefully he will be feeling better soon!  I talked to a friend before I took him to the vet this morning and she suggested putting a collar on him where he couldn't get to the spot on his back and bite at it.  While this may have seemed like a good idea at first, and probably would be a good idea until his meds kick in, it would only fix the visible problem.  Not a solution to the real, underlying problem. 
Here is where my lesson of the day comes in.  Aren't we so prone to do that in life?  We try to fix the symptoms and find a quick, easy solution without ever digging deep to see where the root of the problem lies.  I could put a collar on him and yes, that would make him quit biting himself.  But it wouldn't stop the itching.  I could put anti-itch cream on him and yes, that might stop the itching.  But neither would be a lasting solution as neither was the root of the problem, an allergic reaction to fleas.  Same goes with my back, I could have gone to my medical doctor and gotten some stronger pain medication, but that would only cover the pain, not fix the problem.  In both of these cases, I saw the importance of getting to the real issue.  Need another word picture?  How would you like it if you went to the dentist with a cavity, but instead of drilling out the bad to fill it, they just patched the spot and gave you teeth whiteners?  Your teeth might look good for a bit, but unseen to you, the root of the cavity would still be there and just keep getting worse.  But oh boy, in life, I'm horrible at getting to the real issues!  I tend to gravitate toward the quick fixes, the band aids, just covering the problems on the outside so they aren't noticeable or actually even look nice.  But eventually what is deep within us will come out.  Luke 6:45 (NIV) says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."    If we don't take care of the root issues we won't last.  Mark 4:17 (NIV) says, "But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." 
Wonder what Jesus has to say about fixing the outside but not the inside?  In Matthew 23:27 (NIV), Jesus said,  "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean."  Wow, those are some strong words!  Convicting words.  No beating around the issue.  Straight to the heart of the matter.  It isn't what rules we follow, what denomination we are, how religious we act or are, but what is deep inside of us.

~ Lord, help me to learn to deal more with the heart issues, not just the outward manifestations.  Help me to store up those things that are pure and godly in my heart, so that will be what comes from me.  May my roots be deep and strong so that in the hard times, I will stand fast.  Cleanse me from the inside out, so that my life can be used, and not full of unclean things.  Help me care more about what You see in me, then what people see on the outside.  May my life be an authentic reflection of You in me. ~