Patient
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
As a pediatrician, I see children with many different diseases. But, it was only recently that I had the honor and privilege to care for a special young man with congenital heart disease.. Even though his time on the earth was short, his lessons were many. I would like to share one such lesson in particular.
When I first met this little guy, his innocence was so precious and I was immediately struck by the resilience, tolerance, and strength he portrayed. I was also reminded of the complete trust, dependence and unconditional acceptance that he had for his mother. He had come into this world without a worry and his initial concerns of who will feed me and keep me warm were no different from any other infant. He didn’t realize that his body was constructed differently. That his heart did not function like others or that the constant pokes and plastic tubes in his body were not “normal”. To him, the body he was given was perfect, after all it was the only one he knew. His desires were again no different than any other child’s his age: food, love, warmth, and acceptance.
If only all of us could grasp this innocent thought. We are all made perfectly and God truly does have a purpose for everyone. He doesn’t care what we look like or how we are put together. In fact, he put us all together differently for a reason. What an awesome concept. What an awesome God.
Mark Byland, MD