03 TOUGH AND TENDER.pdf - Dr. George O. Wood

TOUGH AND TENDER2 Corinthians 1:23–2:11was critically wounded who would not recover on their own but might recover if they were givenmedical assistance.There was a man—in a story told by David Rockhill of Rockport, Indiana—a man named Lewon the battlefield who was badly blown apart. One leg was severely wounded. The doctor whoexamined him made the decision that Lew was a hopeless case, that he would not recover even ifhe had medical assistance. So he was given the color of death—―leave him alone.‖ But a nursenoticed that Lew was conscious and began to talk to him. In the course of their conversation,they discovered that they were both from Ohio. The nurse did something which was against theregulations. She just couldn‘t let him die that way so she changed his color to the third color thatsuggested a positive prognosis if he were given medical assistance. So Lew was picked up by themedics, taken on a two-day trip on the back of a truck to the hospital. He spent months in thehospital but he made it. He met a girl in the hospital who later became his wife. He went on tolive a full, happy life with one leg. All because a nurse broke the rules of triage and changed histag. Someone has said, ―It is the task of the church to go around changing tags.‖ That‘s whatPaul is doing at Corinth. There is a man who has been discipled that has been regarded ashopeless and the church has excluded him. Paul is saying, ―It‘s time to change the color. He willrecover. Forgive him and get on with it.‖Closing PrayerOur gracious Father, we thank You for the ways that You have spoken to our hearts today. First,Lord, You‘ve spoken to us about Your character because You are tough and tender. Your lawrepresents that tough side of You. That side which makes requirements and demands. Your gracerepresents that tender side of You which receives ―whosoever will.‖ Which gives forgivenesswhen there is repentance. We thank You. We know more about Your character as a result of this13