Comments on: A Modern Parable: Who Was My Neighbor?

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:40:54 +0000

Hi Dee,I’m sort of with Charlie here. As one who may often be in the position of calling on hospital patients in awkward circumstances, what should a minister do in such circumstances — start "laying hands on" women he doesn’t know very well in an effort to help? Is that his role when there are trained people around to take care of those personal needs?A few weeks ago I stopped by the hospital to visit a very dear woman who had fallen and broken her hip. She had just been moved to a new room and was not completely settled. This woman has never been anything but loving, kind, and welcoming to me. I asked the nurse if it was OK for me to go in and she assured me that it was. But as I stuck my head in the door, the dear sister gestured that I should go away — she was not looking her best and to her, it was important that she not be seen that way. I stood out in the hall and the woman’s daughter came out and we visited for a while. It did not matter to me what this sister looked like, but it mattered to her, and it would have been wrong of me to insist on being "helpful" in those circumstances. I can’t help but think that the hospital chaplain may have been just as much concerned for your comfort level as for his own. Hey, this whole experience has made for some great posts. Hope you are feeling well.

By: Serena Voss

Serena Voss — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:05:49 +0000

Dee,
Could you give me your sister, Laura’s email? I thought I had it but cannot locate it, and I wanted to get a message to her.
Good post!
Hope to visit here again when I can stay a little longer.

By: Charlie (CandLW

Charlie (CandLW — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 02:43:22 +0000

Hey Dee – It’s been a while since I came by –Sorry to find you in hospital and "out of sorts". I’m glad you had angels of mercy to come to your rescue.

I am thinking you may be being a tad to hardon the chaplain guy — I suspect some ladies might have clobbered him if he had tried to come in and help — but then maybe II’m just making excuses because I might well have reacted in a similar way (as much as I’d like to think I wouldn’t).

Anyhow – Get well – Get home soon.

God Bless
Charlie

By: David

David — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 18:04:15 +0000

Some men of the cloth have way to much starch.
Dee, this is one of those TMI stories that I am so glad you told. Your transperancy is a wonderful example of what we should be like with each other — open and honest.

By: Mark O'Neil

Mark O'Neil — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 13:36:52 +0000

Hey Mom,
Technically we all fail to qualify for God’s Grace Note list. Only Jesus Christ fully qualified. I like to think of the one who is the most gracious as the one who is wronged the most but who loves without ever ceasing to love in return. My favorite example is the story of the Prodigal sons. Yes, plural on the sons. The elder son was just as guilty as the younger son of wanting the father’s inheritance. In Eastern cultures taking the inheritance before the father is dead is the same as wishing the father dead. The older son took his share of the inheritance without any protest.
God created man in His image for love and man has continually rejected God’s love. The bible is a story of love from beginning to the end in Revelation where God is wronged but gracious and loving toward man even when He unleashes his wrath and judgment in Revelation. Even with all the pain and suffering of judgment the majority of mean refuse to repent of their rejection of God’s love toward them.

By: Brad Palmore

Brad Palmore — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 03:01:52 +0000

I sort of feel sorry for the guy. Who knows what issues cause him to act that way. I could just see him telling himself as he walked in the room the second time, "Can’t blow it like I did yesterday…can’t blow it like I did yesterday" only to blow it again.I am awefully sorry you had to experience this, though. Glad to hear you are in spirits to share the story.

By: Greg England

Greg England — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 21:57:22 +0000

Not every chaplain should be a chaplain!

By: TCS

TCS — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 18:00:53 +0000

"Do this and you will live"I wish more often I "lived" life abundant that is offered here and now.I hope someone told the paid guy what you said.

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:52:08 +0000

You have me crying this morning.
Isn’t it amazing how seldom God’s angels are disguised as men of God and how often they are presented as ordinary people serving in extraordinary ways!
I am glad you made Jim a Grace note!