Last week I had four medical appointments within four days. Two appointments on Monday. Two appointments on Thursday. Both days the second appointment was unexpected and a result of what the doctors discovered during the first appointment.

As anyone who has sat in a waiting room knows, your scheduled appointment time is only an approximate. They aren’t called waiting rooms for nothing, you know.

During each of these appointments God gave me the opportunity to be his hands and feet. Thankfully, I wasn’t so self-absorbed with my own concerns as is often the case, that I missed the opportunities.

Because God has given me experiences caring for loved ones who have mobility issues, and because I’ve used crutches, a cane and a walker at various times myself, I know first hand this world is not friendly to those who use any kind of assistance to mobilize.

Therefore, when I saw the door next to me open and a frail older woman struggling to back her husband’s wheelchair out the door I hopped up, grabbed the door for her, and escorted them out that door and the next two.

When will doctors’ offices, especially those that cater to folks in wheelchairs, on canes or walkers realize automatic door openers need to be installed? Or at least have their staff offer assistance?

The last appointment of the week found me in a hospital registering for an x-ray. The admitting clerk kept getting interrupted during the process and it took longer than normal. By now, it was close to 4:00 PM. My original expectation when I left my home earlier this day was to be back long before now.

So, I was presented with choices…get aggravated by the necessity of the unexpected procedure, the amount of time it was taking to register, knowing there’d be further waiting once I was in the system before actually having the test and leaving, the fact my needs weren’t being taken care of before all the other interruptions, or I could be patient.

I chose to be patient. Not something that comes naturally to me.

The clerk apologized repeatedly for the delays. Instead of blaming or belittling, I silently prayed for her, and told her not to let the interrupting phone calls steal her joy.

When she asked where I worked and I told her I’m a writer, she asked what I wrote. Christian historical fiction.

Now, you tell me…if I’d been a huffy-puffy with a me-first attitude, how do you think she’d feel to my being a writer of Christian anything? Instead, she told me she felt God had me there for a reason. And so did I.

Oftentimes we falsely believe life is all about us. That the sun revolves around us. Hate to burst any bubbles, but it doesn’t.

Every single day we are presented with choices. We can be self-absorbed and think only of our needs, our wants, our interests and how those can be met, or we can be aware of those around us and the fact that God may be using us to bring a spark of joy, peace, compassion, kindness, patience…to their lives.

It’s not about us.

Some days I do better than others. That Thursday was one of those days. Thank you, Jesus.

How have you seen God work through you to touch someone else’s life?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave a comment below. If you think others would appreciate reading this please share it through the social media buttons.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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