Nelson was about to arrive home after 8 months away, so I was outside Windex-ing the windows on The Bean in preparation for his reunion with this small, well-traveled vehicle. Window glass is the only Bean feature that could ever sparkle.

In the process, a tiny but sharp piece of acorn got wedged between the ball of my foot and my flip-flop. Every time I stepped, it was, “Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.”

Finally I took off the sandal, shook it, rubbed the bottom of my foot, and put it back on. But the ouch was still there. I repeated it twice more, never taking time to study the problem, but the sharp something was always there. Finally I put down the Windex and looked. The flip-flop was clean and smooth. Same for my foot. So I put it back on.

But still!

And there was nothing there. Slowly I rocked forward onto the ball of my foot, mimicking a step, and it poked again, but there was nothing to see. So I pulled it off and pressed my finger on the smooth place that mysteriously got sharp, bending the sandal like it was walking.

Ouch again!

Finally I turned it over. And there was the problem: a stubby sharp screw embedded in the sole, pointing straight up,  just deep enough to jab me when my weight pressed on it. I unscrewed it and had a good chuckle.

While finishing my window washing, I thought about God’s faithful efforts to prod me into following his instructions. His jab might be a sentence in a devotional book: poke.

If I put that out of my mind, he might poke again, maybe a radio program or a friend’s comment on that same subject: jab.

On and on his little ouchies go until I stop what I’m doing and turn my attention to the subject at hand, much like I took off the flip-flop and shook it out, rubbing my foot. But noticing something still isn’t owning it: poke.

Hopefully I’ll be troubled enough by God’s prodding to eventually investigate, looking beneath the jab in an effort to find the source of irritation.

Sadly, our obedience sometimes starts with irritation. We’re frustrated with a new path to walk, a new skill to hone, a new person to meet, a new risk to take. If we’re happy with the status quo, all this newness can be distressing.

But God’s love for us is strong: poke. And he hopes eventually the annoyance of his jabbing will outweigh our reluctance to turn our attention toward him.

I want to develop a quick, inquisitive response to his prodding. In the mean time, I’m thankful the pushy little screw ended up in my flip-flop rather than in The Bean’s brand new tires!

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”  (Isaiah 48:17b)