The short end of the stick

It means you’re it whether or not you wanted to be it or not, you’re stuck with it regardless of whether or not you wanted or deserved it. The short end of the stick feels like being shafted, getting a lousy deal. Maybe you remember drawing straws once or twice, I sure do, and nothing good ever came from drawing the shortest straw, it got me stuck with dirty chores, bad dares, and worse.You can saw off your won stick, that is called stupidity, but even then the outcomes vary wildly. Some seem to get more than their fair share of breaks, of second and third chances, and of mercy, while others just knick their stick and it all comes crumbling down. But what if you just ended up with the short end of the stick, if life just hands it to you? When your health is not good, anything but perfect? When you are not the most beautiful, the smartest, the talented one, or even the funny one? What if your family is lousy or you don’t even have one? What if you are suffering because of someone else messing up? What if nice, kind, and safe is the exact opposite of your surroundings and circumstances? What if your short end is one of pain or abuse, or one of poverty and little opportunity? What if that short end is mean, ugly, dysfunctional, violent?You don’t have to live long before you become afraid of the short end of the stick. Just a little taste of it lets you know that it bitter, that it stinks. Just a pinch of it is enough to know that it feels unfair, unjust. Just one glimpse of it is enough to sense that it unkind and cruel. So we spend much of our time and energy avoiding the short end of the stick, “Let somebody else have it! Yes sir’ee!”Hagar was Sarai’s maid, very possibly her slave. She didn’t necessarily pick to be a maid. If you had to pick between mistress or maid/slave what would you choose? I thought so. When Sarai couldn’t have kids and asked Hagar to became Abram’s wife and bear him offspring it was her opportunity to kiss the short end of the stick goodbye. Once she conceived she could not help but rub it in on Sarai who although she was the mistress held the short end of the stick when it came to having children. You can imagine that that these two women did not get along, but when it came to power Hagar still was on the short end of the stick. It got so bad that pregnant Hagar finally just took off because she couldn’t take it anymore. However, God caught up with her and told her something that is tough to swallow, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority. I will give you more descendants than you can count. You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the LORD has heard your cry of distress” Genesis 16:9-11 (adapted from NLT). God asked her to willingly stick with the short end of the stick. The good news was that she wasn’t lost to God, none of us is, he knew her, he cared about her, he knew the child within her, he had plans for her and her child. The challenge was that he asked her to continue holding the short end of the stick. How much trust does that take? I find it encouraging that God uses people at the short end of the stick for his great and glorious purposes.“If you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you” 1 Peter 4:19 (NLT).To God be all glory, love you, Pastor HansP.S. Please do not misunderstand me to say to submit to mistreatment, abuse, and injustice in every situation and circumstance. Rather we should seek to know, submit to , and do God’s will in every situation and circumstance, which does mean we will not run from all suffering and hardship, nor will we use being at the short end of the stick as an excuse not to act godly, or without faith and love.