Yesterday was a disturbing day. We started clinic off with an irate new patient who did not want to fill out any paperwork and began yelling. Walked out. Doctor brought him back in and actually, he was sent over to the ER. He needed our doctor. To a wellness check on a patient, because of monitoring, the doctor knew there was a huge problem. The police called to let us know they found him. He ended his life.
Neither patient had any family listed on their contact forms. I’ve written before of my grief when patients have nobody. In fact, to the latter patient, the doctor told him to get a cat again.
I look around at my study group on Monday nights and see people actively working on relationships with others and with God. Humbling themselves to learn and be taught. Sharing. Covid made it very easy and necessary to stay home. protect.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:7-9 ESV
I don’t want to forget these men (we have more and it’s not just men.) If we allow it, God’s peace does it’s work, guarding and protecting our hearts and minds. And I continue to ask myself, what am i thinking? how is it affecting my behavior? We are now on excellence. Almost done. Definition:
Virtue/excellence – arete – “intrinsic eminence, moral goodness, virtue, of any particular moral excellence, Phl 4:8; 2Pe 1:5 (twice), where virtue is enjoined as an essential quality in the excercise of faith, RV, “(in your faith supply) virtue.”
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.”
2 Peter 1:5-9 ESV
Our faith. Make every effort. Let’s see what Paul says to the Ephesians:
“that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”
Ephesians 3:16-17 ESV
Look at what we all have available to us at any moment. Every moment. These moments of decision, we don’t know that they actively are changing our lives. These lonely people with no one, God knows their stories. I can make assumptions (and we know how that goes). Rather, may it change me. May our interactions with difficult people change us first. Excellence begins here with a choice.
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV
We heed the calling of Christ. We read the words of this Bible. We walk towards his glory and godliness. The more I study and read, I pray, the more i have his glory and excellence. I have his promises. We have his promises. In the very deepest darkness, God can still be found. I cling to the the true of his word that says I am a partaker. May our lives be lives of excellence to those who have no hope. To those whose eyes have dimmed to the light of Christ.
In pain, I can still find Christ. In pain, we call and he answers. Last night we were reading Matthew 8 and Jesus stretches out his hand to the leper and says, “I am willing.” (Matthew 8:3) I remember this today and think on that truth. My body may not be healing, but my soul is being made new. As i pray for loved ones around me, societal norms are great, but truly it is their soul, that i pray, humbles and cries after the willing Christ.
Continue in excellence after the risen Savior.
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