ACE #148: The Black Eye

When I was in sixth grade, all of us kids were at recess.  There was an open field space with the bus circle wrapped around it.  Some of the guys were on the field playing football.  The rest of us were scattered in groups at various points of the circle.  I was standing in one of the groups just chatting like young girls normally do.  Out of nowhere the football came flying out of the air and hit me dead smack in my right eye.  After I grabbed my eye, I released a whole bunch of four letter words that a sixth grader should not have even known!  I couldn’t believe it.  Out of nowhere.  Out of all the people in the circle.  I got hit.  Right in the eye.  Really?  I was rushed inside and the teacher put an ice pack over my eye.  I was embarrassed, but it was the fact that the football that had landed dead smack in my eye socket hurt.  It left me with a black eye - a visible sign of not being prepared to duck or dodge.  And it wasn't a good look sport, especially for a young lady.

What this taught me was that every now and then things will catch you off guard…even when you’re just minding your own business.  Did I wish that football had hit someone else?  Absolutely…especially one of those silly boys on that field.  Should I have been more “watchful”?  Well…maybe except that it took my vision out completely in one eye.  It was a difficult lesson because there was no way I could’ve been prepared for that.  For an entire year, I would duck, dodge, shrink, squint, and even cringe in an effort not to get caught off guard like that again.  It wasn’t necessarily fear as much as it was apprehension and perhaps anxiety.  But it reminded me of this particular Scripture:

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

It tells me that even in the midst of being caught off guard or forgetting to be "watchful" that as long as I trust God to be my God that He will strengthen, help and uphold me.  What an awesome assurance.