i was reminded of a story today. I guess a story that kinda makes me wanna pray fervently even more that they won't turn away and to keep pressing on. Sometimes it feels tat i carry the load alone but i am assured the lord will raise up the workers and the youth who'll come forth will learn and be fruitful and multiply. But anyway i'm won't deny wat happened today i am grieved and wonderin wat did i do that made a brother of mine turn away? I to am still analysing that despite all the good work there is work tat still needs to be done. As much as its the lord's work i pray the lord show me how to connect to everyone and the ppl to turn to. To bring as much joy as possible to these ppl's lives seems only wat God can do but. If I be the instrument then Lord you lead....
Anyway here's the story:
There was once a travelling doctor who served the villages in a remote part of the world. He's style would be to go from village house to village house treating anyone who had an ailment. On one of his visits he brought along a young doctor to go house visiting with him.
Upon reaching the first house it was routine. They went around checking the residents for common diseases and ailments that occur in that area of the world. One by one they checked. And as they perscripted they educated them on how to watch out for their health and how to prevent themselves from getting the ailments. Once they were done they left the house and went on to the next house and the next house.
Then they arrived to this peculiar house. The young doctor sensing the difference of environment asked the older doctor, "This place looks abandoned, maybe we should go down the other way?."
The older doctor wisely reminded the younger doctor, "We will only find out once we knock on the door. If the door opens then regardless of the outside appearance of this house and the person we will serve him all the way."
In awe of the wisdom of the older doctor, the young doctor just heeded what the senior one said.
So they went up the wood rotted steps and reached the porch. And they knocked and waited. The younger doctor in his impatience was muttering that this would be a waste of time, rather than wait he'd be much better off going down the other way and treating those with a proper home. He kept looking at how dilapidated the whole area was. Untrimmed grass, broken wood platforms and window panels hanging by a screw. It was just a depressing sight. AS for the older doctor He just waited and giving the occasional knock, unaffected by what is before him but rather interested in the person who'll open the door.
They didn't know how long they waited. So with one last tap on the door, they heard movement as if someone stirring from sleep. Then footsteps and with a click there in front of them appeared a man.
He was in a shabby state. And he smelt.
"halo?" the man said.
The older doctor with no sign of discomfort smiled and greeted him in the native tongue and introduced himself as well as his fellow co-worker. He went on to explain what they were here for. So he began examining the man.
He started by making small talk, asking abt who he is, his job and if he has any children. The man just answered as he was asked. However the young man impatience burning high was angry tat the doctor spent so much on this one person as compared to the houses with many people inside. And he just decided to watch and see how it goes.
The older doctor came to a conclussion as he kept questioning the man that this person lives alone and that people shun him because of a condition he has. People were afraid to go near him becoz of the way the disease appeared on him. It did look bad and the older doctor knew that he'd have to amputate his leg if he were to survive and carry on living.
Burdened with this grave news, he has to tell the man-who was already warming up to their presence- because he knows if nothing is done the disease will eat his whole body and dat he'll be a living corpse.
As the man went on sharing and talking, the older doctor then found a moment to tell him, "I see you are ailing and I have a cure for you. All you have to do is trust me."
THe man startled by what he said replied in his own tongue,"I am? Then how do I get cured?"
"I'm afraid you'd have to lose your leg."
When he heard this his countenance fell. He couldn't accept it.
"I know i m not well but i don't want to give up my life. I know you have shown me my sickness but the cure seems too painful to face. How will i go on living if i lose the leg i depend on so much?"
The older doctor then just said, "because that is the only way. If there be a better way I'd tell you but this is the only way that you can be saved."
"I cannot accept this. Give me sometime to think. When i'm ready i'll come out and find you."
And with that the man closed the door. The older doctor facing a closed door sighed and smiled, turned around and went back to the road they came from.
The young doctor astonished at what had just happened, wondered what this doctor was thinking. In his heart he felt vindicated and scorned the older doctor for wasting so much time on this person that there wasn't anymore time to go to the nxt group of houses.
Sensing the younger doctor, the older doctor said, "We'll be back to see if he's ready because as much as he seems so undeserving I will not give him up just like that. If you think its been a waste of time think about the reason why you're walking down this lane with me. You and I have a gift. ANd its not exclusive to anyone. Very few are able to come to where you are. But there are many around who require the hope that we can give to them. If you think he is undeserving of such a hope, then you can just pack your bags and go because you will never know the joy you can bring in bringing this hope of life. So what if he closes his door, will you who knows the truth and the way deprive a man of such a hope?"
At the sound of the older doctors words, the young doctor was humbled.
"I was once had a choice just like you when I was on my journeys. I came upon a house just like this and I passed it by. The next day I found out there was a woman who lived there and died of a disease that I could handle and at least nurse her and prolong her life. From that day on I never missed a house. But be thankful now you don't walk alone and miss a house because of its outward appearance."
So after a long day and reflecting upon the words of the older doctor, this young doctor decided that everyday he would knock on the door of the man. So he did and was greeted with the same words each day, "GO AWAY!". He'd wait for about an hour telling the man behind the door that he has to be cured or he'll die. Then he'll move on and come back at the end of the day to do the same thing. He did it till one day he smelled the smell of decomposed flesh. Knowing what lies behind the door he ran back to his base camp and met up with the older doctor and told him all that had happened.
"You did well, as much as you try to reach out to him, counsel him, you've done your part. You didn't let him go. You held Him in your heart. But as sad as it sounds he never came to a decision with his life. Just remember you never gave him up. Even if it seem he had shut you out, you kept goin back to him. It may be easier to just leave the decision to him and wait for him to apprach you. BUt you didn't. You wanted to save him because you know that he'd live. But now he is gone, all this will be a memory and i pray you don't forget nor be discouraged because people will be people, if you don't go to them they will never know, if you don't stop goin to them they will never see what hope you bring."
....I will hold your people in my heart....
