Expectactions Vs. Reality

Whenever medical surgery is performed, a period of recovery and rehabilitation follows.  Every time I have had surgery there were always unknowns because I never had the same procedure done twice.  I would imagine no surgical result is ever exactly the same - like no pregnancy or childbirth or child is the same!  I have had my wisdom teeth removed, my ACL replaced in a knee, and a mole removed from my back.  Each time there were unexpected complications, like when fragments of tooth started poking through my gums or the full strength of my back incision would not be achieved for a whole year - not to mention the itchiness!  It's been over a year and it still itches sometimes...but that sure beats cancer. (Just for the record I have never had cancer but the mole was removed as a precaution.)

A lot of people are pleased with the results of a surgery, even if the period of strengthening and physical therapy is long.  However, there are many who would have never chosen surgery if they had known what they were in for.  They focused on the good aspects of surgery and shrugged off the bad only the realise after the fact their expectations did not align with reality.  Contrary to what many think, surgery never returns the body as it was prior to injury.  It is no miracle cure:  it means scar tissue, complications, and restrictions.  I am very glad I had surgery on my torn ACL, but my knee is not the same as before my injury.  I spoke with a friend recently who had two full knee replacements and from the beginning one of them was never right.  I think all things considered he would have gone ahead with the surgery if he had to do it all over again, but his expectations were not met.  He could be bitter and sour over it, or gladly do the best he can.

When it comes to church ministry, it's good to remember Jesus Christ has joined different people together as one Body with Him as the head.  It's rare for our bodies to be completely healthy without creaks, pains, and needing special treatment, and the same rings true for the church.  There is always a hand which needs strengthening exercises or a joint which needs special attention and care.  Just like our bodies have needed root canals, surgery, physical therapy, rest, or a specially prescribed diet, every person in a spiritual sense needs continual divine treatment from Jesus Christ.  Put us all together and the spiritual "medical" history is, needless to say, quite extensive.  The only thing which keeps us from being roughly patched together like Frankenstein is our head Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer.  We have a lot of scar tissue, aches and battle scars, and sometimes we rub each other raw.  But praise the LORD He holds us together and unites us in His redemptive love.

If you have an expectation of Christian perfection in the church, the fatal flaw in this fantasy is that I am part of the Body of Christ - and so are you.  The reality is the church is a divine establishment but has a prevalent human element which consistently falls short of perfection.  Being reminded that God is perfect and we are not magnifies the grace of God.  It's amazing He would choose us and delight to provide a place for us in His kingdom and this prompts us to give grace to others.  We do not fault the man recovering from knee surgery that he cannot immediately run but we can have this expectation of others.  No matter how long you have walked with Jesus there is much learning, growing, and strengthening we yet need to progress.  The reality of Jesus Christ is awesome and blows away the wildest expectation of the humble for He is gracious, generous, and good.