It all started when the cast iron griddle fell off the shelf and onto my foot, striking just above my left big toe. No bones broke or fractured, but then again, nothing was ever quite right after that either. Even a year later, my toe still ached from time to time when I landed on it just the wrong way.
And when my toe is in pain, I’ll shift my gait ever so slightly to try and lessen that pain.
That puts pressure on my left ankle. Which means my left hip starts to bother me.
Then I’ll put more pressure on my right leg as I limp to compensate, which causes my right knee to act up.
Which means my back gets thrown out of alignment because I end up moving in this weird, herky-jerky motion as I hobble around.
Who knew my big toe could make me a physical wreck?
A foot problem causes a chain reaction that wreaks havoc with many, many other parts of your body, primarily because the toes and the foot are intended to provide stability for the rest of you. They are the foundation on which you stand, and if they have a problem, you won’t stand for long.
What are you standing on, thinking it will hold you up? The stock market, job, social status, bank account, friends or family name? They might not be as stable over the long term as you think. People shift. Seasons change. Things happen.
Jesus said a person who comes to Him, hears His words and puts them into practice “is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built” (Luke 6:47-48). In other words, no matter what trouble comes your way, with Jesus as your rock-solid foundation to stand on, you won’t have to go limping through life.
What or who do you rely on for stability when little things go wrong, and start adding up to bigger and bigger problems, wreaking havoc with your life?