When I was a child and was crying because someone hurt my feelings, Mother used to say, “Was it done accidentally, or was it done on purpose?”  Trying to be cute, I would say, “She [whoever the ‘she’ friend was at the moment] did it accidentally on purpose.”  It made perfect sense to my young mind to say that because the offender meant to cause hurt, but not to the level of hurt that ended up being caused.  And children can cause some deep wounds! 

So can adults.
 
Has someone hurt you lately?  I do not mean physically beat on you, but rather have they hurt your feelings or sensibilities through either their actions or words?  In this modern-day environment of seemingly perpetual offended-ness, you have probably experienced a hurt (legitimate or otherwise) or else know of someone who has.  What do you do when the person who hurt you is one who has authority over you and has lied on a document that could be used in legal proceedings? 
 
This happened to me recently.  A medical doctor was rather creative, and quite inaccurate, in her notes of a medical encounter she and I had during a recent appointment.  I was initially shocked, but then got rather upset over it because what she wrote is now a legal document that could be used in a court of law.  Because there were no witnesses to our exchange, it boiled down to a she-said/she-said situation, and since she (the doctor) is the one with the credentials to validate her version of our encounter, guess whose medical record will NOT be corrected?  Yep!  You guessed it.  The record stands as originally recorded by her.  Fair?  Nope.  Not by any perspective is this even fair. 
 
As I spent time in prayer over this situation to ask God to help me lay it at His feet and for help to not pick it up again, I was reminded that there were others who have had to deal with the unfairness of life.  Remember Joseph?  He’s the one who had a coat of many colors, was the favorite son of his father, and had eleven brothers who were jealous of him.  Nine of these brothers decided to sell him into slavery.  (Reuben and Benjamin did not have any part in the selling Joseph.)  As time passes, Joseph’s life seems to be a rollercoaster ride of rewards and undeserved punishments.  Then one day many years later, Joseph’s brothers had a face-to-face encounter with him.  The brothers were fearful of what retaliation Joseph would exact.  Instead, Joseph said to them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20) 
 
When people mistreat you, it hurts.  It is hard to see beyond the desire to lash out or pay them back for what they have done.  Yet Romans 12:19 tells us this.  “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge, I will repay,” says the Lord.”
 
Every little thing that is done or said to us is known by our Father.  It is good for us to try to correct a wrong, yet this may not always be possible.  We may not understand the ‘why’ of a situation, but we do not need to.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28 [emphasis mine] 
 
Not just in the good things or the feel-good things, but also in those uncomfortable or hurtful situations.  ALL things God will work for the good of those who love him.  One day, everything will be made clear and will be understood.  Look to God and leave the ones who have hurt you in God’s hands.  Trust in Him, who is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV). 
 
Will you trust Him with your hurts and your future?  The choice is yours.  He’s waiting for you.
 
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)
 
 

            There are times when the living out of our professed faith becomes real and hits us unexpectedly right where we live.   I like to think of these as opportunities to prove the growth God has been working in our lives.
 
            My husband’s employer contracted a professional moving company to deliver our household items to our new location.  This contractor then hired a sub-contractor to make up the team of movers it would take to accomplish the job.  One of these sub-contracted team members stole money and jewelry from us during the few hours he was in our house.
 
            Indignant?  You bet we were.  The money was not a large sum – several dollars worth of quarters that I needed to use at the local laundry mat – and the jewelry, while not of high value, had a large sentimental value.  The quarters could easily be replaced; the jewelry could not as the family members who had gifted them to us are no longer here.
 
            My husband and I fumed (I did most of the fuming) over this situation and talked about it for the next couple of days.  After rooting around in our victim mentality, we found at the bottom of our emotions what really galled us the most about this whole situation.  Before these men had ever set foot across the threshold to our home, each had introduced himself to us with a smile and had shaken our hands. Whether or not they entered our home with the intent to steal from us or if this was a crime of opportunity, we do not know.   We do know that they were in a position of trust.  And they violated it.
           
            As my husband spent time filing reports and paperwork to document this situation, I realized that there was more that needed to be done.  There was a very personal element that needed addressed, a private one that only God and my husband need know of at that time. 
 
            Matthew 6:15, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
 
            That verse smacked me in the head not long after this theft occurred.  Have you ever had scripture speak to you in the situation you’re currently dealing with?  If you have, you will know what I’m talking about.  If you haven’t, wait, as the day will surely come for you when it does.  These are awesome times when scripture seems to talk directly to me, albeit a little painful to acknowledge. 
 
            I knew that I had to purposefully and consciously forgive the man who had taken what did not belong to him and for breaking the bond of trust he had represented as a professional entering our home.  He had violated both God’s and man’s laws by his actions, yet it was God’s direction that I needed to follow in my actions towards this man, even if he would not know it.  I needed to ensure that this victimization didn’t develop into anger, which then would be in danger of taking root in the form of bitterness.  Not a good situation at all to be in!
 
            It was after I had intentionally spoken the words of forgiveness over this man in prayer that I felt the release of angst I had felt in the days since the discovery of theft had been made.  I could see that the things he had stolen were truly just stuff that wouldn’t count for anything as far as eternity was concerned.  It was in the letting go, in the forgiving, that mattered more.  Once I truly forgave him, sweet peace descended on my wounded soul and soothed my heart.  It also allowed me to see this man in a new light so that I could genuinely pray for him.  This act of forgiveness was an example of God’s grace at work.  And isn’t this what all of us need?
 
            Before we know that we ever are in need of grace, God has already provided it.
 
            Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
 
            When Christ died for us, He took on the cost of our sin and paid the penalty for us so we would not have to pay that cost ourselves, which we could never do on our own anyway.  As a result of Him paying our penalty, we aren’t given what we deserve.  This, my friends, is grace. 
 
            Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
 
            The young man who stole from us may never know that we’ve already forgiven him.  I do pray that he will come to see his need for the Living God to be in residence in his heart and life so that he won’t feel the need to steal any longer.  
 
          Each one of us, whether our sins are seen by mankind or solely by God can experience this grace through the acceptance of the work Christ did for us through His death and resurrection.  Or perhaps, like us, you need to forgive someone else  and place them into God’s hands for the wrong they have done to you.  Forgiveness, grace, mercy and peace are yours for the asking.  The choice is yours to make.  Which will you choose?
 
 
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)

A note to the reader:  Literary license has been exercised in the creation of this story.   It is based upon the events that could have taken place between the lines in the scripture passage listed below.   I hope you enjoy The House of Fish.

Robin Scritchfield
Arlington, VA
December 2015

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Mark 8:22-26:  “They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.  He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.  When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”  He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”  Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes.  Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.  Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the Village.” (NIV)

 

THE HOUSE OF FISH

Chapter 1 – The Problem

“He’s at it again!”  Sue threw the dishcloth into the soapy water, sloshing water over the side of the sink and onto the kitchen floor.  She eyed the mess, pursed her lips and sighed deeply.  “Great!  Like I need this,” she said as she pointed towards the floor, “aggravation on top of him.” 

Her brother stopped cleaning a fish and looked at her.  “Arthur?” 

“Of course Arthur!”

Josh threw his knife at the wooden tabletop where its point neatly and firmly stuck.  He watched the knife sway back and forth, counting each motion as he tried to get his anger under control.  It didn’t work very well.

“I’ve had just about enough of his behavior, I can tell you.  It wouldn’t be so bad if he could do something to help out around here, but he’s either whining about “poor me, I’m blind so someone should take care of me” or else he’s bumbling around knocking into the tables or the customers.  Mrs. Henry nearly sued us over his repeated and so-called ‘accident’ of walking into her and somehow groping her.” 

“He does apologize each time, Josh.  He didn’t mean to grab her at that precise spot, and says that he only wanted to feel the material.  What are we going to do, Josh?  He’s disturbing the customers so much again today that I had two full tables of them get up and walk out.  We’ve got to do something.  I can’t watch out for him full-time plus wait on the customers.”

“It’s not only our business that he’s disrupting either.  Mr. and Mrs. Franks across the road told me yesterday that he was at their place sitting in the doorway pulling his ‘poor pity me’ routine, blocking the entrance, grabbing towards the customers and begging from the ones who try to step over him.  They’re losing customers, too.   He has started wandering more in the streets and being a general nuisance to the point where people are changing where they conduct business.  The whole street is starting to lose money because of his behavior.”

The background sounds coming from the dining room grew while silence descended between Josh and Sue as they each contemplated the possible options in dealing with this situation.

“It’s sad really,” said Sue.  “Arthur wasn’t always like this.  Remember when he used to make the most beautiful fabrics?  The designs he weaved into them were amazing.  When he lost his vision his few remaining family members shoved him out of his own home and took over his business.  And they weren’t even close relations.”

“Yes, and you feeling sorry for him is how we ended up with the care of him.  You collected him like you would have taken in a stray cat that was starving.” 

“No, it’s us being fellow Guild members that made it our responsibility to care for him especially when his own family kicked him out.”

A loud crash and a scream came from the dining room. 

“Now what?” 

Josh and Sue both bolted through the swinging doors to see what the cause of the latest catastrophe was.  They found Arthur standing stock-still next to a mound of fallen and broken dishes.  Sitting in the midst of it was an irate customer.

“It was an accident,” whined Arthur, distress showing all over his face.

“Uh huh,” said Josh as he leaned down to help the customer out from underneath a blanket of shards.  He turned his head towards Sue.  “Send a message to the other guild members that we’re going to have a meeting here tonight after business hours to discuss our ‘problem.’”

*  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter 2 – The Discussion

Nearly every member of the streets’ guild was in attendance.  As soon as the last customer left, Josh locked the door and turned to face his neighbors and fellow business owners. 

“I appreciate each of you being here tonight, especially on such short notice,” Josh said then paused to clear his throat before going on.  “This isn’t one of our regular meetings to discuss trade conditions or other issues relating to the Guild.  It’s for one reason.  Arthur.”

Groans could be heard around the room.  People shifted in their chairs and looked at their neighbor as they rolled their eyes and gave a short snort or heavy sigh. 

“Yes,” Josh said, addressing the non-verbal actions that signified the general feelings of each one present, “we’ve all been facing increasing disruptions from him.”

“And whose fault is that?”  Mr. Thomas looked hard at both Sue and Josh, his steely glance answering his own question.  More murmurs of ascent could be heard from the others.

“I know,” Josh said loudly as he held up his hand to quiet the room.  “I know,” he said in a more conversational tone as the noise level died down.  “It’s true, we did offer to take him into our home to look after him when he was left without anywhere to go, but that was in keeping with the stipulations of the contract he had with the Guild.  All of us have that same paragraph in our contract that states that any member in good standing will be cared for by other Guild members should we be unable to care for ourselves.”

“In good standing?”  John Smythe asked.  “Arthur hasn’t been in good standing for years!  When was the last time he even paid his dues?”  All eyes looked to Mr. Franks who was the treasurer for the Guild.

“Well,” intoned Mr. Franks as he looked at the floor and then let his eyes travel up the wall towards the ceiling where they stayed for several seconds before starting their circuit around the room once again with a brief glance across the face of Josh.  “Well, I suppose it’s been quite a while.”

“What exactly does that mean, Mr. Franks?”  John Smythe was not going to let him off the hook that easily.

“Well,” he began again.  “According to my records, it’s been close to four years since Arthur last paid his dues.”  The murmurs around the room grew rapidly.

“Four years?!”  Mr. Thomas looked hard at Josh and Sue again.  “You’ve let this man pester us and affect our businesses for four years when none of us are under any obligation to care for Arthur any longer, and haven’t been for four years?” If Mr. Thomas said four years again, Josh would probably slap him.

This meeting wasn’t turning out at all how Josh envisioned it would.  He and Sue being put on trial wasn’t at all where he thought this meeting would go.  Truth told, if enough of the members wanted to condemn them on this point, they would be put out of the Guild.  And everyone knew that a business of a non-Guild member could not survive in this town.  They would lose everything.  He had to bring the meeting around to the point for having called the meeting.

“Which brings me to the reason why I’ve called this impromptu meeting.  We know that Arthur is a general nuisance, and that we are all losing customers and money because of it.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we can deal with this?”

“Put him in a boat and set him adrift,” came from someone in the back of the room.  “Whoever finds him where he washes ashore can take care of him.”  Sue got a pained expression on her face over hearing this.

“Take him fishing and drop him overboard,” came another. 

Now Sue was angry!  Arthur may be a nuisance to them all, but he didn’t deserve drowning.  She took a deep breath.  

“Take him to the Teacher,” Sue said loudly to cut across the chatter before someone else could give another ridiculous solution.  The room got so quiet that you could almost hear your own heartbeat.

“The Teacher!”  Mrs. Franks asked scornfully.  “Why, he’s nothing but a crank, a crack-pot.  Surely you don’t believe the things he has been saying?”  She stared into Sue’s eyes, daring her – willing her? -- to speak unguardedly.  “You know that he talks against our government’s practices.  Sure he’s done a few good things here, but you can’t believe the things he says.  Or do you?”   Every eye in the room was on Sue as they waited for her to answer. 

No, thought Josh, this isn’t at all how I thought this meeting was going to go.

Sue laughed nervously.  “No, of course I don’t believe what he says, but he has done some good things.  Why not take Arthur to him and see if he can do anything with him?”  Around the room, a few heads nodded in agreement.  Sue grasped at this positive response and proceeded, plainly stating what several of them were prepared to do.  “Wouldn’t it be better to do this,” she stopped to glare at the one who wanted to drop Arthur overboard, “than to murder Arthur?” 

Put like that, there was nearly a unanimous agreement on this legal course of action.

Josh seized the moment, and was glad to not be in danger of losing his Guild membership, or being party to murder.  “Good!  Since the majority seems to prefer this solution, that’s what we’ll do.  First thing in the morning, we’ll meet up here, take Arthur to the Teacher and be back in time to open up our businesses as usual.  Meeting adjourned.” 

Throughout the meeting, no one had noticed the silhouette of Arthur’s head in the window of one of the swinging doors to the kitchen as he listened to the plans his former Guild brothers had for him tomorrow.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter 3 – The Meeting

The Guild members stepped through the entrance to The House of Fish and into the street, Arthur placed in the front where he could be firmly guided by them. 

“I don’t want to go!” Arthur said as he squirmed and tried to pull and push himself free from their grasp.  “I’ll be good, I promise.”

“Now Arthur, this is for your own good,” said Josh.

“No, it’s not.  It’s for your good.  I heard you all last night, your complaints and your plans.  You can’t do this!”  Arthur started to whimper.  “You promised to take care of me.  Sue?”  There was no reply or calming hand on his arm to comfort him as in the past.  “Sue?  Please don’t let them do this to me.” 

“She’s not here, Arthur,” Josh said.  “We’ll get you safely to the Teacher.”

Arthur began to quietly cry.  First he had lost his sight and was unable to make his beautiful cloths.  His greedy family took his business away from him.  It wasn’t long afterwards that his family shoved him out of his own house before taking that for themselves, too.  With these Guild brothers now giving up on him, there was nowhere else he could go.  There was no one left who cared for him. 

As the tears streamed from his sightless eyes, the last bit of fight deserted him.  He hung his head and let them lead him where they might.  Perhaps death would welcome him and bring the peace he sought.

They had not walked very far when Josh and Mr. Franks spotted a crowd coming towards them.

“Over there,” said Mr. Franks pointing.  “He’s right there in the front.”

“I see him,” Josh said.  “Come on.”  They each took hold of Arthur’s arms and steered him directly into the path of the crowd, then stopped to wait while the crowd came closer.

“Teacher?”  Josh hated to use this title as this man certainly had not taught him anything, but since it was a title he had given to himself, Josh used it.

The crowd hesitated when the Teacher stopped, craning their necks as they tried to see who had caught His attention.  His brown, soulful eyes turned to look into Josh’ eyes. 

It’s almost as if He can see why I’m here, Josh thought, and had to tear his eyes away before he lost his nerve to speak.  He cleared his throat.

“Teacher, we have all either seen or heard of the many good things you have done since you have been in our city.”  Josh could see out of the corner of his eye that the crowd was listening intently to his words.  Emboldened, Josh continued.  “People we personally know have had their lives impacted by the works you have been able to do.   Mr. Simmons’ daughter, who could not walk because of a deformed foot, is now running and playing with the other children because her foot was made whole.

“You” – pointing to the Teacher – “did that.”  The crowd nodded their heads and murmured their agreement.  Josh was encouraged even more.

“Mr. Peterson, who had been deaf his whole life now hears.  Because of what you did.”

“That’s right, Josh, you tell it!” shouted someone in the crowd.

“And the widow Martin’s son was brought … back … to … life.”  Josh turned to look at the Teacher.  “Since you’ve done all of these things, you should not have any problem with this” – pointing to Arthur – “man standing here.”

For the first time, the Teacher spoke, “And what would you have me do with him?”

“Now’s the chance,” said Mr. Thomas in an aside to Josh.  “Take it!”

All of the suggestions that were brought up during the meeting last night flitted through his mind, and he was ashamed that some of them had been voiced. 

“You see,” Josh began, “he was once a good man, but he’s now a trouble-maker, causing all of the business-owners in this area to lose customers and a lot of money.  If you could find someplace for him where he wouldn’t be in the way or a nuisance, we would be willing to give him to you.”  Now that he had made his statement, he folded his arms across his chest and waited to see what the Teacher would offer to do.

The Teacher looked at Arthur’s tear-stained face, his eyes reddened from the crying, his head bowed.

“Arthur,” the Teacher quietly spoke the name, “look at me.”  Arthur turned his head in the direction of that quiet voice.  “Do you believe I can help you?”

“I’ve heard of the things you have done, the things spoken of here as well as in the other streets.”  Arthur paused as a sob caught his throat and a tear rolled down his cheek.

The Teacher stepped closer to Arthur and spoke to him as if they were alone and not in the middle of the street with a large crowd all around them.  “Do you believe I can help you?” the Teacher quietly repeated.

“I must, Teacher, as I have no where else to turn.”

The teacher turned to the crowd.  “All of you go on about your business.”  The crowd began to disperse.  He then looked at Josh and the other Guild members standing there, waiting.  “I will take him.  Go on back to your businesses.”

While the others began to move away, Josh hesitated and looked once again at Arthur.  He remembered when he and Sue had agreed to take Arthur in to care for him.  His heart almost softened towards Arthur until he remembered, too, all of the problems he’d endured over the years and the cost to replace or repair things because of their decision to do so.  With steel in his heart, Josh turned towards his business, away from Arthur and the responsibility of him. 

Now alone in the street, Arthur waited to see what was to happen. 

“Come,” the Teacher said as he took hold of Arthur’s hand and place it in the crook of His elbow as He led him outside the city.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Chapter 4 – The Solution

It had been many years since Arthur had been away from the city.  He could feel the absence of buildings as an uninterrupted wind gently kissed his face.  The sounds and the smells of a city filled with people were gone and were replaced by the fresher scents of a citrus orchard nearby.  He knew exactly where he was, and breathed deeply to fill his lungs with this delicious reminder of his boyhood.

“Sit here,” said the Teacher, gently guiding Arthur to sit on a nearby low wall of stone that bordered the end of an irrigation ditch.

“Teacher, will I have to go very far from here?  I’ve been here since birth.”

“You can go as far as you want to go,” said the Teacher sitting down next to him. 

“Without someone to care for me, how far could I go?”

“Someone does care.”

“Is this the someone you are taking me to?”

“No, this Someone I speak of is here. “  The Teacher cupped His hands and reached into the water to draw some of the water out.  Using it, He washed the dirt and tearstains from Arthur’s face.  The gentle touch of the Teacher’s hands, and the coolness from the wind drying the water on his skin was such a relief to Arthur.  He enjoyed this simple feeling of being clean and sighed contentedly.  “I have a balm for your eyes.  Do you believe that they can be healed?”

Arthur, through unseeing eyes, turned towards the Teacher’s voice and stared at Him.  “Is this true?  Can you do this thing?”

“As you believe, it will be done.”  With that, the Teacher added the balm to His wet fingertips and rubbed Arthur’s eyes. 

Arthur felt a slight warmth, then a gentle tingle in his eyelids that seemed to sink into his eyes themselves. 

“Do you see anything?” 

Arthur, who had not been able to see for years, felt a small hope well up within him.  Could this man truly give me back my sight?

Slowly, he opened his eyelids.  Light, glorious light registered in his mind.  Tall, blurry shapes of darker color passed in front of him.    Was this truly happening?

“What do you see?” asked the Teacher.

“I see,” Arthur paused to try to find the words to describe what he was seeing, his mind disbelieving that he could see anything other than darkness, while hope continued to grow within him.  In his excitement, his breathing grew heavier and faster.  “I see … I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 

Once more the Teacher put his hands on the man’s eyes.  “Now what do you see?”

Arthur opened his eyes once more.  In wonder, he looked up to see the sky in a shade of blue do deep that he was sure that today was the first day it had been this color.  The greens on the trees, the ripe fruit, hanging heavy on them, ready for harvest.  The water was a mixture of blues and greens.  Even the earth under his feet was brilliant in its muted tan color. 

People passing by were wearing reds and blues, shades of white, orange, and yellow.  There was black, too, but Arthur did not ever want to see black again.  He had lived in it for far too long.

Finally, Arthur looked at the Teacher patiently sitting next to him.   Those brown soulful eyes were full of merriment and caring.  “What do you see?”

“I see everything clearly.”  Arthur’s eyes filled with tears.  He wanted to weep for joy as now he could weave again to make his beautiful cloths.  And, oh what wonderful colors he would use in his designs! 

Quietness settled over Arthur as he realized that it was not only his sight that was restored, but he had also been given life.  I was ready to welcome death, and this Man has given me life! 

He looked at the Teacher and somehow sensed that He already knew all about the revelations and the gratitude inside of Arthur.  He said it anyway. 

“Thank you, Teacher, for my sight, my life, and for caring about me when none other could be found.”

The Teacher laughed with joy over Arthur’s happiness.  “I will care for you always.  There is no need for you to return to the life you had in the city.  Now it is time for you to go home.”

“Home.  What a wonderful word!”  Arthur jumped up and started to rush off down the long-familiar road to his house, eager to reclaim what is rightfully his.  He knew some family members who wouldn’t be so happy to see him.

Suddenly he stopped and turned back to the Teacher.  “You will always be welcome in my home.” 

“As you will be in mine.”  The Teacher watched as Arthur raced down the road, rejoicing in the new life he had been given.