This is going to be a quick interruption to my blogposts on Romans 1 and a kind of follow-up post to the one on verses 16-17, if for no one but myself.
When I was growing up, there was an expression that my family would use when someone was being either stubborn or unteachable in some way. We would call them a 돌머리 (dol•meo•li), which means “rock head.” If any of us were in an argument that seemed to be going nowhere, one of us (whether or not we were actually participating in the argument) would assign the label of “rock head” to any person who was just not “getting it” in an attempt to bring the argument to a close. It was a light-hearted way to point out the fact that one (or more) of us had reached a point where we were not seeing the information that had been presented to us for what it really was and that any further discussion was pretty much pointless unless the “rock head” mentality was shed.
After a while, it turned into a term of endearment, at least to my mind—a funny way to point out how some people just have a difficult time coming to terms with what should be plain to them. We are all like that. It is pretty amazing at how much truth is all around us. We have such a difficult time putting it all together.
The thing is that, when you are the rock head, you don’t think that you are being the rock head. That may be because you are downright stubborn or it may be because you are just ignorant of (and/or currently incapable of understanding) that truth that is all around you. You won’t know that you were the rock head until some piece of information finally gets through that previously impenetrable brain of yours and reveals to you what an absolute idiot you’ve been.
I found myself in that exact set of circumstances last night.
It makes me happy when the Lord calls me a “rock head.” He does it often, actually. I know that it is a term of endearment from him and I find great cause to rejoice when he uses that term to point out where my understanding has been lacking. He is kind and doesn’t crack my head open. He gives me just what I need, when I need it, and measured just enough to give me reason to believe what has been there all along.
1 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape. (Psalm 141)