Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A Doctor's Journey with Cancer
Take a look at his website. A nonsmoker, he came down with lung cancer earlier this year. His website is a great witness.
Note: He was interviewed on Christian Doctor's Digest this month. It is a good story.
Note: He was interviewed on Christian Doctor's Digest this month. It is a good story.
Porter Chaplain's Website
Take a look. They call it "Words Worth Remembering".
The Expectation of Gratitude
The Expectation of Gratitude
Luke 17:11, NIV.
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
A 49 year old woman came in for biopsy of an ovarian cyst. The gynecologist sent me a portion for frozen section. I overcalled it as a malignancy, and she had a hysterectomy. The next day I realized my mistake and called the doc, who said that he would go tell the patient the good news. “She will be thrilled—she doesn’t have cancer!”
The way she showed me how thrilled she was, was to file suit for excessive surgery due to my error.
Most of us came to medicine to help others. We work long hours, gave much of our youth to studies rather than parties, sacrifice time with our own families. Of course we mostly do get paid well, but on the other hand we are on call and get called at all hours.
Is it too much to expect gratitude in return? Can’t we expect that people will understand how hard we work, how hard we try, how much we sacrifice, how much we worry over their conditions? Isn’t it wrong and unjust of people to not at least thank us?
And what do we often get? Complaints about bills. Complaints about waiting too long in the office. Complaints that recovery is taking too long. And of course complaints filed in court.
As I’ve matured, the realization has dawned that it is unwise to rely on expectations of undying gratitude and thanks from our patients. While gratitude and generosity are the absolute requirements for a happy and joyful life, for some reason many people choose ingratitude, thoughtlessness, or greed. Their choice is beyond my control, and should not dictate my satisfaction with my chosen calling as a pathologist. The scripture for the day reminds me that gratitude is a gift, not an obligation.
Luke 17 is a great story for young doctors and medical students. It teaches that even Jesus himself, performing miraculous cures that nobody else could have done, received only 10% gratitude. In fact, as I look back, I’ll bet my record is better than 10%. Our reward is doing a good job, taking the best care of people who have trusted their lives and health to our care and skills. The few times they come back to thank us are not their obligation, but a grand, generous, and unexpected gift from them to us, to be savored, enjoyed, and appreciated.
Lord, you of all of us most understand ingratitude from those you love. Your people constantly turn from your open arms and defy your loving instruction. We know you want to make us like you, like your Son. Teach us to serve without expectation, to excel in our work with your sons and daughters, to help them in their sufferings, and to rest content whether they think to thank us or not. Amen.
Luke 17:11, NIV.
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
A 49 year old woman came in for biopsy of an ovarian cyst. The gynecologist sent me a portion for frozen section. I overcalled it as a malignancy, and she had a hysterectomy. The next day I realized my mistake and called the doc, who said that he would go tell the patient the good news. “She will be thrilled—she doesn’t have cancer!”
The way she showed me how thrilled she was, was to file suit for excessive surgery due to my error.
Most of us came to medicine to help others. We work long hours, gave much of our youth to studies rather than parties, sacrifice time with our own families. Of course we mostly do get paid well, but on the other hand we are on call and get called at all hours.
Is it too much to expect gratitude in return? Can’t we expect that people will understand how hard we work, how hard we try, how much we sacrifice, how much we worry over their conditions? Isn’t it wrong and unjust of people to not at least thank us?
And what do we often get? Complaints about bills. Complaints about waiting too long in the office. Complaints that recovery is taking too long. And of course complaints filed in court.
As I’ve matured, the realization has dawned that it is unwise to rely on expectations of undying gratitude and thanks from our patients. While gratitude and generosity are the absolute requirements for a happy and joyful life, for some reason many people choose ingratitude, thoughtlessness, or greed. Their choice is beyond my control, and should not dictate my satisfaction with my chosen calling as a pathologist. The scripture for the day reminds me that gratitude is a gift, not an obligation.
Luke 17 is a great story for young doctors and medical students. It teaches that even Jesus himself, performing miraculous cures that nobody else could have done, received only 10% gratitude. In fact, as I look back, I’ll bet my record is better than 10%. Our reward is doing a good job, taking the best care of people who have trusted their lives and health to our care and skills. The few times they come back to thank us are not their obligation, but a grand, generous, and unexpected gift from them to us, to be savored, enjoyed, and appreciated.
Lord, you of all of us most understand ingratitude from those you love. Your people constantly turn from your open arms and defy your loving instruction. We know you want to make us like you, like your Son. Teach us to serve without expectation, to excel in our work with your sons and daughters, to help them in their sufferings, and to rest content whether they think to thank us or not. Amen.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Bible knowledge can save your life!
A woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church
services, when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the man in the
act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled: 'Stop! Acts 2:38!'
(Repent and be Baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins
may be forgiven.)
The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and
explained what she had done.
As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar: 'Why
did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to
you.'
'Scripture?' replied the burglar. 'She said she had an Ax and Two 38s!'
Merry Christmas!
services, when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the man in the
act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled: 'Stop! Acts 2:38!'
(Repent and be Baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins
may be forgiven.)
The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and
explained what she had done.
As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar: 'Why
did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to
you.'
'Scripture?' replied the burglar. 'She said she had an Ax and Two 38s!'
Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thanks, and then Giving!
It is not an accident that Thanksgiving introduces the holiday season, beginning with Thanks. The other bookend is Giving. At Thanksgiving we talked about the vital importance of Gratitude, Thanks, to happiness and fulfillment. Just as vital to our mental and spiritual health is Giving, commemorated by Christmas and Hanukkah in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
The Bible encourages us to give.
Jewish Scriptures:
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deut 15:10.
The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. Prov 11:25.
Christian Scriptures:
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
Give, and it shall be given to you. For whatever measure you deal out to others, it will be dealt to you in return. Luke 6:38
For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.
How about other traditions?
Hindu wisdom says “They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing.”
Dalai Lama: “If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.”
Arab proverb: “If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.”
Lao-Tzu: He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.”
Pericles, Greece: What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
Seneca, Rome: There is no delight in owning anything unshared.
Churchill: We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Albert Schweitzer: I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.
C. S. Lewis: Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.
Lord, thank you for making the world and giving it to us. Thank you for giving us life. Thank you for giving us your image, as a generous Giver. The wise of all times and places teach us to give to each other, and that in so doing we will become more truly ourselves. Amen.
The Bible encourages us to give.
Jewish Scriptures:
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deut 15:10.
The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. Prov 11:25.
Christian Scriptures:
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
Give, and it shall be given to you. For whatever measure you deal out to others, it will be dealt to you in return. Luke 6:38
For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.
How about other traditions?
Hindu wisdom says “They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing.”
Dalai Lama: “If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.”
Arab proverb: “If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.”
Lao-Tzu: He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.”
Pericles, Greece: What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
Seneca, Rome: There is no delight in owning anything unshared.
Churchill: We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Albert Schweitzer: I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.
C. S. Lewis: Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.
Lord, thank you for making the world and giving it to us. Thank you for giving us life. Thank you for giving us your image, as a generous Giver. The wise of all times and places teach us to give to each other, and that in so doing we will become more truly ourselves. Amen.
