I went to a doctor recently... Actually, it was over a month ago. I've been having some aches and pains and knots and tightening of the muscles in my back, shoulder, neck, and knee. I have a theory about doctors, and I was very aware of this theory when I made the visit. Here's my theory:
Without testing, a doctor's primary prognosis is going to be based upon what you tell him/her. This makes me leary and careful. If I tell the doc the wrong thing, then I might not get the help I need. That's kind of what happened to me. I feel like I didn't get very good treatment, etc. With the right tests, a prognosis can be found. But without testing, they will go by touch and sound. They might touch your knee or feel the muscles in your neck or ask you to stretch or move in a certain way; but it's how you describe your symptoms that is almost the most important thing.
That's the first thing I try to do: stick to the symptoms. I try to avoid my own prognosis. For example, I don't try to say, "I think it's the this, Doc." Determining what's wrong is his/her job, not mine. I try to stick to describing what hurts and/or answering their questions directly. If you think about it, that's a lot of pressure! One example might be the question: "Would you describe the pain as sharp and stabbing? Or throbbing?" If you answer that wrong, you might get the wrong "prescription." Sometimes I get confused and/or am not sure how to answer questions like that.
Entry #14: On Becoming Human
McManus touches on humanity here. It's a good chapter. A friend of his that makes films showed him his latest one time. Two angels were discussing good and evil. One took the "good" path and remained an angel. The other took the "bad" or "dark" path and was punished -- this angel had to become a human. Wow. While the Bible does say that "all have sinned" and that none of us can say we are "without sin," it does not instruct us to hate ourselves. In fact, when Jesus says to "love others as you love yourself," it is implied that we already love ourselves, we already know how. I think we do a pretty good job of it. Even those who "hate themselves," supposedly, will act in a way to preserve themself.
I remember a conversation with a friend who was looking for another church to go to. He mentioned how some churches (most, he implied) focus on our identity as sinners. And so very few focus on our identity as saints. I think there should be a balance, just as Scripture gives us a balanced viewpoint.
McManus points out that being a human is not a punishment, but a gift. I think of the passage in Scripture where it says, "Angels long to look into these things." (1 Peter 1:12) I think they are fascinated by us. I think they are fascinated with God's grace. I believe that they don't have the grace we do. We can reject God, deny Him, betray Him, and change our minds and come back to Him and be forgiven. I think that angels, perhaps, are banished from His presence if they choose against Him. I have come to the conclusion that this is why they marvel at us.
We are "trophies of grace!" I can imagine God talking about us like a treasured trophy, very enthusiastic to tell someone how special he or she is to Him. Such a subtle difference. One or two degrees in one direction can lead to false humility and self loathing; and another direction to arrogance, and a flippant 'tude.
Wow, I was searching for the reference about being called "trophies of grace," and I can't find it. I think maybe it was a paragraph heading in the Bible and not an actual verse. I'm reminded of legal contracts I've read, which specifies that certain headings in the contract are not binding and just used to organize the paragraphs of the document. This is kinda like that. I can't build a doctrine around this theme, at least not simply/conveniently. I do enjoy the "journey" of looking stuff up in a Concordance.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at October 16, 2007 03:17 PM