I woke up this morning and my skin didn’t hurt. But the skin of The Butterfly Child, Jonathan Pitre’s hurt.
I put on my robe and its softness comforted me. But if Johnathan’s robe touches his skin it means more pain.
I enjoyed my first cup of morning coffee, but Jonathan Pitre must be very careful when he drinks because it could cause blisters to develop in his throat.
My baths are relaxing. Johnathan’s baths are an excruciating.
Jonathan Pitre, dubbed The Butterfly Child because his skin is as fragile as a butterfly’s wings, was born with a very rare skin disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), he is 14 years old now, and recently received wide-spread media attention for letting the world see his pain up close and personal.
Jonathan’s story will make you never, ever want to complain about anything again. It will remind you to be thankful for all the things that you take for granted.
For the normalcy of your life.
For the fact that you don’t have to be wrapped in full body bandages before you can put your clothes on.
For the ability to walk across the room.
For being pain free.
For having skin that doesn’t hurt.
For being able to enjoy eating and drinking.
“Pain is always pushing in my head,” Jonathan says. “Even while sleeping.”
Now imagine your worst day ever and juxtapose it alongside Jonathan Pitre’s life.
Do the two compare?
I am sure that some readers may say yes, and have their own story of pain and suffering . But I believe that most of us will find a sense of humility in Jonathan Pitre’s story. A feeling that even our worst day is better than Jonathan’s best day.
Especially in light of Jonathan’s attitude about his life of suffering and the fact that no one with his disease has ever lived past the age of 30.
“What keeps me going is the people who love me and believe in me…Great things do not come easily. But they do come when you try with your full heart, when you’re willing and open to embrace life, when you take things one day at a time and use what you’ve got.”-Jonathan Pitre
Imagine living the reality that Jonathan lives, and maintaining an attitude like that.
I don’t know if Jonathan Pitre believes in Jesus. But I do know that his story is a wonderful example of how Christians should embrace difficulty.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” –1 Thessalonians 5:18
In everything…
In pain.
In sorrow.
In glaring injustice.
In the face of an incurable disease.
In everything…
My pastor said recently that we have no idea who we really are until the crisis hits. <<view full sermon here>>
Somewhere deep in my heart I know that my pastor is right, because when life get uncomfortable, I know the attitudes that rise up within me that I must contend with and pray through.
Oh God, that we would learn to embrace whatever difficulties you see fit to allow in our lives.
Whenever I hear of stories like Jonathan Pitre’s, it makes me think of the scripture in 1 Kings 19:18.
“Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
And I realize that one day I will be judged alongside the likes of Jonathan Pitre.
One day, I will stand before the Almighty God and will give an account of my actions – and my reactions.
And if I were to tell God my suffering was too much, or the offenses against me were to deep, or my lot in life wasn’t fair, I believe the Lord would look at me and say:
“Yet I have 7,000 who never once complained, who bore their suffering with humility, who totally embraced the status of life I gave them.”
Oh Lord Forgive me…
Forgive us…
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, first and foremost would you bless and strengthen Jonathan Pitre? Thank-you for his willingness to share his story. And God, forgive us for thinking we have it so bad. Cultivate thankfulness within us. And help us to see ourselves as you do. Impress Jonathan’s story deep in our hearts that we never, ever forget that no matter how terrible we may think we have it, there always someone who has it worse and is bearing their suffering with grace and dignity. In Jesus name, Amen.
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Your Cross
“Lord, I can’t go on,” he said. “I have too heavy a cross to bear.” The Lord replied, “My son, if you can’t bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish.”
The man was filled with relief. “Thank you, Lord,” he sighed, and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were not visible.
Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. “I’d like that one, Lord,” he whispered. The Lord replied, “My son, that is the cross you just brought in.”
When life’s problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more blessed than you imagined.