April 27, 2021.
It was a joint decision on the part of Karen and I that we would make our Parkinson’s journey public as a means of strengthening the faith community. Part of our going public included the solicitation of prayers of friends. Among them are Jodi (at Meridian City Hall) and Max (better known for founding Max Giving). Jodi informed me that they were praying that through it all, Christ would be made manifest. A wonderful idea until you really think about it!
When we invite Christ to do something in or through us it places a heavy burden upon us. Ever asked Him to teach you patience? Do not be surprised if He places people in your path who make you want to pull your hair out! If you ask Him to teach you how to love as He loves? Do not complain when He lines up the most unlovable for you to interact with! Inviting Christ to do His will is realistically scary, for we can only do so honestly if we are willing to allow Him to make it cost us everything.
And so I was nervous regarding the two surgeries, because I gave Christ permission to have a free hand. The results have been amazing.
But how can one make Christ manifest when you are the patient? The window of what I could do was small. I put the question to Him and the conviction was instantaneous: “Let the surgical team know that they are deeply loved by Christ!”
“But how Lord?”
“Tell them how special they are and what it is I appreciate about them.”
With time running out I gave full attention to the names of each one working on me, and what was so special about each of them. There was the American born Hispanic surgeon and his American born Chinese assistant. The Idahoan anesthetist who no longer attended church. There was the Haitian immigrant nurse and the immigrant Hispanic night nurse with an attitude. There was the backwoods Idahoan nurse who told me that he was learning Russian to help a refugee working at the hospital feel accepted in her new world. One by one I asked each to come close so I could say something to them. I thanked each for being part of the team and why each was uniquely special. As they started Amber took my right hand in both hers and said, “Just keep your eyes on me; we’re going to get through this together.”
Is it possible that Christ is made manifest when each of us purposefully seek out that which is uniquely special about others and then make a point of “seeing” the good in them? How many never feel that anyone sees anything special about them? Do people feel unseen? Could it be that our helping people to feel noticed in a positive could make Christ manifest and advance the borders of His kingdom?
Pastor Michel Pearson