I recently witnessed an amazing acrobatic performance by three young Asian women at a televised talent competition. They were quite a flexible bunch as their synchronized contortions resulted in body parts appearing to be in, uh, disturbing relationships to each other. Is it possible to be too flexible? Maybe I'm just jealous, but I think if you are able to bend backwards and literally sit on top of your head, the answer has to be yes.
Musculoskeletal flexibility has never been my strong suit. I'm pretty sure that I was able to stand and touch my toes at one point in my life, but since I can't really remember anything prior to my preschool days, memories of me accomplishing such a feat are at best fuzzy. On the other hand, recollections of hamstring pain as I try to touch my...shins, abound. A serious back injury that resulted in surgery 15 years ago stiffened me up even more, so that I can no longer stand and reach much farther beneath my kneecaps without feeling something tighten up. As an avid runner, I learned that flexibility may help improve running speed, so I've often tried various stretching exercises, to little avail.
Despite my longstanding history of back and hamstring stiffness, I also learned that not every part of my body is equally inflexible. While practicing a Haydn concerto on my oboe, I encountered a particularly challenging passage, during which my right pinky finger would make clunking noises and cause pain whenever I tried to play a certain note that required me to reach for a key with that finger. It turned out that whenever I tried to play that note, one of my right pinky joints was too flexible, and would hyperextend, i.e., bend backwards, causing my finger to get trapped like a cocked trigger. I have been trying to adjust my hand position to ameliorate the problem, but the ultimate solution may be to wear a small finger splint to restrict my joint's motion. In other words, I lament about my back and hamstrings being too tight, while simultaneously wishing that one of my fingers is not as flexible.
Just as one's flexibility or lack thereof sets limits on a person's range of motion, God's law also sets limits on what one can or cannot do. If you violate limits on a joint's range of motion, you may end up with a sprain, a dislocation, a fracture or other injury. Violating God's law also has serious consequences, as Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and their descendants are still reaping the consequences of sin. Nevertheless, there is great freedom when one is conscious of the boundaries, for he can move within them without fear. We usually think of law as being restrictive rather than liberating, yet the writer of Psalm 19 clearly saw delight in God's law:
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11)
If the boundaries of law actually are liberating and protective, what about my stiff back and hammies? There is an ongoing debate among runners and sports medicine experts on how much stretching is beneficial, as studies indicate that while too little flexibility is bad, too much flexibility may actually be associated with greater risk of injury. Despite my stiffness, I have logged over 20,000 miles of running and 20 marathons during the past 7 years, and never experienced a serious running-related injury. While my restricted range of motion made me slower, it also protected me.
May we run long and far as we abide by God's law in our lives.
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