Occasionally, I'm called on to concoct a special paragraph for one of my clients. That's not anything unique in a law practice. These special paragraphs are made up of protective phrases. They limit warranties, deny liability, and issue dire warnings — tey are funny little negative paragraphs inserted in the midst of documents that really want to be positive and upbeat.
Because of my vocation, I'm drawn to labels on bottles and boxes. Usually, somewhere below bold claims of "new and improved" and "best" and "brighter" are the lines of small print — those by-the-way-there's-something-you-ought-to-know statements.
We have become increasingly aware of the possible side effects of those chemicals that claim to cure us. Although the potential harm is very serious, don't you find it humorous when you hear a television advertisement for medicine followed by lowly spoken, hurried words like ...
Wonder-Drug is not suitable for people above the age of 40 or those younger than 39. Blind tests in clinical studies have indicated that the occurrence of some side effects is more prominent in those patients receiving Wonder-Drug than in those receiving a placebo. Possible side effects include: dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, near-sightedness, far-sightedness, astigmatism, euphoria, acrophobia, agoraphobia, liver disease, and cardiac arrest. If you should experience any of these conditions, contact your doctor. However, don't discontinue the use of this or any other medication without consent of your doctor.
Certainly builds your confidence when you down that convenient capsule, doesn't it?
Yet, we measure the risk of those side effects against the hope that the medicine will help. Then we take the medicine.
Even ordinary, natural things bring risks — like food. Our grandparents were raised in a time when three square meals a day was the prescription for nutritional health: eggs and bacon in the morning, pot roast at lunch with breads and gravies, and leftovers at night. All you could eat. Moms and grandmothers complained if you didn't take seconds or thirds.
Now we know that most meats aren't good for you, gravies are forbidden, and mysteriously, after all of these years, bread is not the friend we thought it was. As millions starve from lack of food, multitudes in our culture are slowly dying from too much food.
Is there any lasting good news?
Even Jesus had tough things for us to hear. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble ..."
But with Christ, even a warning holds hope. "... But take heart! I have overcome the world. ... Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 16:33;John 14:27)
Promises. Disclaimers. Warnings. Do you think it's significant that in our world, we start with promises and end with disclaimers, while in God's world, we're duly warned of what the world holds yet left with bright promises of what shall be?
I would say that is enormously significant.
