Deep Rooted Infected and Decayed

Sitting in the dentist chair I felt the beads of sweat slide down past my ear onto my neck as I gripped the arm rest. My nostrils filled with the smell of burnt enamel and bone as the drill dug away at my decayed tooth. As the dentist pulled, twisted, and yanked on my broken tooth I heard tooth crunch, and roots break…inside my head. Fortunately I couldn’t taste anything because my tongue after multiple anesthesia injections was like a sea slug resting on the bottom of the ocean floor. My dentist, who earlier appeared to be a kind, gentle man, was now engaged in a full battle of strength and will against a dug-in, stubborn tooth. As I occasionally opened my eyes I saw the battle stare of my dentist engage with the enemy. If the Russians, Chinese, Moldavians, or any other country attack Oregon, I will bunker down with my dentist. I kept my eyes closed till the dentist said “Okay, let’s sit you up Mr. Kooeeti-wits…all done…tooth out.”, while he was gasping for breath.

After two hours in the dentist chair, I felt like I was a Bronco’s linebacker getting pummeled by the Raiders. As I stood at the counter paying for my facial reconstruction, the dentist looked at me and said, “Are you ok?” I replied in a post traumatic daze “yabba, id tink idam oday”. Translation: “I don’t know who you are, or where I am, but I want to get out of here.”

I had no idea what I was getting into that day when I willingly agreed to a tooth extraction. My dentist made it sound like it was no big deal, but to me, as I readily admit to being one of the biggest babies ever to sit in a dentist chair, it was a big deal. Why did a simple procedure turn into an epic battle of dentist vs. tooth? Two reasons, this tooth had long deep roots anchored in the bone and it was infected and decayed.

As I look at a parallel to our spiritual walk in Christ, I see that there are deep rooted issues that are infected and cause decay in our lives. We may have issues of: habitual sin, deep offenses that are hidden beneath the surface, character weaknesses, pride, unforgiveness and pain. Like a deep rooted, infected tooth me may ignore it for some time, but eventually it will cause such pain and discomfort it affects our whole body and could lead to a spread of infection. As I willingly submit myself to pain in the dentist chair, we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit to reveal, remove and heal this infected issue in our lives. Often that is a difficult process for us for it involves facing the truth of the infection, humility, repentance and persistent obedience. The divine result is victory, health, freedom from pain, and wholeness in Christ.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. – I Peter 2:24

Today only a few days removed from the extraction, I can open my jaw normally and chew most foods without discomfort, and I have peace knowing this infection is removed. Thanks Mr. Dentist.