Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver

http://steveabbottfineart.blogspot.com/2011/02/apples-of-gold-in-silver-bowl.html

Proverbs 25:11

A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in settings of silver.

Although that verse is in a passage about proper reproof of someone in error, I find it to be an apt description of a wonderful conversation that I was blessed to have with a patient at work last Thursday. It happens every once in a while when you just sense that the Lord brings a person your way and blesses you with the words that uplift you both and have you both praising God for His goodness and His wonderful caring ways. Such a situation occurred for me and this patient.

This patient came to the hospital because he has been experiencing some painful discomfort in his feet (which already has interesting spiritual application when you do a word search in the Bible relating to feet and our walk, hopefully you understand what I mean). While asking him the normal general questions that I do to place a few comments on the study for our radiologist, he said to me "I know this isn't in your area of expertise, but would you know anything about the disease of cancer and what I should know about it, I think I may have it..." so I asked him what makes him believe he might have cancer, and what symptoms he has that makes him think so. He then said he didn't know of any, nor does he know anything about cancer, except that it runs in his family and that he knows he is more at risk because there is alot of history of cancer in his family. He said his grandma died of cancer, so I asked him how old she was when she died, and he replied 92, but that he wasn't ready to let her go and that he felt that she was still too young to die. This number, 92, brought a recent patient I had xrayed to mind. She had broken her hip, and was yelling alot about how we  were going to kill her or cause her to have a heart attack or stroke. I related that situation to him, and told him that her problem was not with us medical personnel, but it was with the fact that she did not feel ready to face death. He then confessed that this was an issue for him also, that he feared dying, and that he could understand that 92 year old patient's apprehensions about death.

There were many things the Lord brought to my mind, during the 20 minutes (it usually would have taken me about 15, I had to take 12 xrays total...so I didn't do too badly) we had together. By the end of the exam, I said "Ok, Bible study is over" and he said "I LOVED IT!" and was beaming from ear to ear, and his eyes were twinkling with the tears he blinked back. We hugged and acknowledged that one day we would meet again.

With all of the problems that I have at work, this patient reminded me of the most important thing regarding why I work there, (besides the fact that it's helping me pay my bills) it's for the patients. Thank you Jesus for the generous gifts of such blessings in the midst of the trials.