Journal Article

Crowded Waiting Rooms

You can’t practice good medicine without knowing how to triage. In an emergency situation, triage is essential to determine which patients most urgently need care, and to properly allocate time and resources. Triage doesn’t just apply to multiple patients, but also to individual care. An ingrown toenail may need to be addressed, but if it’s attached to a broken or lacerated foot, the priority will change. Triage is all about urgency.

Medical problems aren’t the only needs that require triage. Speaking to this, Ellen White wrote a fascinating statement on how we should triage:

“A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.” -Review and Herald, March 22, 1887

We have many needs, but what is our greatest and most urgent need? True godliness. Our first work is to seek this godliness. But in order to seek something, we need to know what we’re looking for. Thankfully, we’re provided with a clear definition in the life and work of Jesus:

“Christ gave a perfect representation of true godliness by combining the work of a physician and a minister, ministering to the needs of both body and soul, healing physical disease, and then speaking words that brought peace to the troubled heart.” -Review and Herald, June 9, 1904

Whole Person Care
True godliness shines forth in whole person care. The healing work of the physician is combined with the communication of the gospel. A physician ministers to the needs of the body by healing physical disease, while a minister speaks words that bring peace to the troubled heart.

A secular physician can diagnose and treat diseases of the body. He or she can even encourage the lifestyle principles that our message advocates, such as rest, sunshine, and water. But only a spirit-filled medical missionary can understand how to treat patients in a fully comprehensive way. Only a physician walking closely with Jesus can know the needs of the soul. The godly medical missionary will recognize and treat troubled hearts with words that bring peace. Anything else is heavenly malpractice!

Jesus didn’t make a distinction between physical and spiritual needs. The Great Physician practiced whole person care.

“Christ was bound up in all branches of the work. He did not make any division. He did not feel that he was infringing on physicians when He healed the sick. He proclaimed the truth, and when the sick came to Him for healing, He asked them if they believed that He could make them whole. He was just as ready to lay His hands in healing on the sick and afflicted as He was to preach the gospel. He was just as much at home in this work as in proclaiming the truth; for healing the sick is a part of the gospel.” -Medical Ministry, p. 237

It may be necessary for ministers to go into the homes of the sick and say, “I am ready to help you, and I will do the best I can. I am not a physician, but I am a minister, and I like to minister to the sick and afflicted.” Those who are sick in body are often also sick in soul, and when the soul is sick, the body is made sick.

Keep it Simple
Just as the minister can help the sick, the physician can minister to the soul. Many physicians and healthcare providers think this is more complicated than it is. It’s really quite simple when we think about it like this:

“To take people right where they are, whatever their position, whatever their condition, and help them in every way possible—this is gospel ministry.” -Medical Ministry, p. 238

Some years ago a physician told me, “I don’t know how to give a Bible study. How can I minister to my patients?” I understood the feeling. I grew up going to many seminars on witnessing techniques. The presenters provided answers to theological objections and taught how to teach doctrinal Bible studies, yet witnessing can still be overwhelming and make us nervous. Knowing how to field theological questions is good and useful, but it’s not the primary method God is calling us to. You don’t have to explain the intricacies of Daniel 11 in order to reach your patients. Notice how simple medical ministry really is:

“What an opportunity the consecrated physician has to show a Christlike interest in the patients under his care! It is his privilege to speak encouragingly to them, and bow at their bedside to offer a few words of prayer.” -Medical Ministry, p. 31

I can’t preach like Dwight Nelson or Mark Finley, but I can speak encouraging words to patients, and, when appropriate, offer a few words of prayer. These are the most enjoyable and satisfying moments of my practice.

One day in my office I saw a woman (I’ll call Michelle) who expressed interest in learning more about health. I encouraged her to come to a cooking class at our church that evening. Soon, my wife and I invited her to our home for Bible studies. Together we watched Gary Gibb’s video series Prophecies of Hope. After a year of studying and fellowshipping, Michelle decided to be baptized.

Another patient (I’ll call Andrew), is a minister from another denomination. As I prepared to give him surgery for his melanoma, I asked if he would like me to pray for him. He gratefully accepted. Since then, he’s invited me to speak at his church twice.

Sharing our faith doesn’t have to be difficult, or even time consuming. Instead, these simple encounters will bring new meaning, joy, and energy to our work.

If we really want to know how to minister to the soul and the body, we must look at the One who mastered the art of true godliness: Jesus.

The Great Physician Made House Calls
Today, not many physicians make house calls. Our schedules are too busy and our waiting rooms are full. Jesus knew what it meant to be busy. From healing crowds of people in the evening (Mark 1:32), to counseling Nicodemus by night (John 3:2), praying long before sunrise, treating demoniacs at dawn, and teaching disciples throughout the day, Jesus’ waiting room always seemed to be full! Yet He still made time for house calls. Let’s look at an example.

A Desperate Dad
“So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.” -Luke 8:40-41

Jairus was an influential man in Capernaum, a ruler of the synagogue. It was not easy for him to swallow his pride and seek help from Jesus. But his only child was dying. In a desperate attempt to preserve her life, Jairus entered the home of a despised publican, fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged for help. Stopping His lunch, leaving untasted some of the food lovingly cooked for Him, Jesus and His disciples immediately started out to make this house call.

God’s plans are often much more far-reaching then our own. Jairus sought healing for his daughter, but it was not for the daughter alone that Jesus went to the mansion of the ruler of the synagogue. On the way to heal the daughter, Jesus sought to heal Jairus also.

“Although it was only a short distance, their progress was very slow; for the people pressed forward on every side eager to see the great Teacher who had created so much excitement, begging his attention and his aid. The anxious father urged his way through the crowd, fearful of being too late. But Jesus, pitying the people, and deploring their spiritual darkness and physical maladies, stopped now and then to minister to their wants.” -Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 2, p. 319

The Great Physician knows how to triage, yet his decisions seemed counterintuitive. In stark contrast to the medical crisis of a dying girl, He reaches out to seemingly less urgent needs such as the chronic problem of an older woman. At first this seems to be an obstacle to Jairus’ situation. In truth, it was really part of the solution granting him more time with Jesus, subsequently healing his own soul.

A Broken Woman
“Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.” -Luke 8:43-44

The very same year Jairus and his wife rejoiced over the birth of their only child, this woman began mourning the loss of her health. Twelve short years later for Jairus and twelve long years later for the woman, they both had a need only Jesus could fill.

This woman would have been anemic and fatigued from the prolonged bleeding. She was not only sick, but also ostracized, “unclean,” and alone. In a frantic but fruitless search for help, she had gone from physician to physician, specialist to specialist, but was no better, in fact, her condition had worsened. Alone, penniless, friendless, and forsaken she despaired of ever having life again. She was almost ready to give up hope, but in a last ditch effort, this woman found her way to Capernaum. We don’t have details about how she got the funds to travel to Capernaum, how far she traveled, or how long it took in her weakened state. We do know that she was in the crowd outside Matthew’s house trying to reach Jesus. This woman had no status, no clout, no influential position causing the crowd to open up for her to get into the house. The woman faced daunting odds against reaching Jesus and yet desperation mixed with hope and faith forced her to try.

Jesus’ waiting room was constantly filled with stories of failure like this woman’s. These were the poor, the hopeless, the rejected, the marginalized, the ignorant, and the weak. But these outcasts were the special objects of Christ’s love and care.

At first glance, it seems even Jesus passes her by. He was so near, but seemed so far. This is the condition of much of suffering humanity.

“The golden opportunity had come. She was in the presence of the Great Physician! But amid the confusion she could not speak to Him, nor catch more than a passing glimpse of His figure. Fearful of losing her one chance of relief, she pressed forward, saying to herself, “If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.” As He was passing, she reached forward, and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment. But in that moment she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health.” -Desire of Ages, p. 343

As the woman reached out to touch the edge of Jesus’ garment, a miracle took place:

“Immediately, the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.” -Mark 5:29

The miracle had occurred. The problem had been solved. Her bleeding stopped. Her anemia vanished. Her energy level was normal. Jesus and the woman both knew she was healed so He could have gone on without further delay. But Jesus didn’t hurry on to the need that was apparently more urgent. He was not simply a Healer of the body, but also a Healer of the soul. So He stopped, turned around, and asked:

“Who touched Me?” -Luke 8:45

Despite the apparent oddity of this question with throngs pressing all around Him, Jesus had a reason for asking. He knew the woman’s healing was incomplete. The years of sickness had shattered her emotionally. Her body was now well, but her heart was not. For years she had been embarrassed. Now she was terrified to be exposed. But as soon as the woman confessed her identity, Jesus gave her a new one:

“And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” -Luke 8:48

Jesus assured this woman that she was accepted. She had all the privileges of being God’s child. Though she was satisfied with one brief touch of the hem of Christ’s garment, Jesus had much more to offer her. He desired her to come boldly to Him and His throne of grace for all of the problems in her life. Now she moved beyond seeing Jesus as the Savior of her physical body, she accepted Him as the Savior of her soul. His invitation to her is one He offers to each one of us today.

Once again it was not for this woman alone that Jesus paused. He wanted to increase Jairus’ faith and teach him an important spiritual truth as well. Just as Jairus was concerned about the illness of his daughter, he saw that Jesus had a Father’s concern for the well being of this outcast woman. In addition to physical healing, Jesus addressed her depression and lifted her up as a child of the King. He gave her reason to have joy and hope in place of her former hopelessness.

She might have endured twelve long painful, embarrassing years but God had not forsaken her during this time. Her illness had taught her the limited value of money and earthly physicians to solve the problems of her life. It was trusting God in the darkness that made her well and it would be trusting God in the light that would keep her well.

For a moment, Jairus, caught up in the story unfolding before him, forgot his own anxiety and was riveted by the woman’s testimony. Jesus was using this to soften Jairus’ own heart.

“The delay of Jesus had been so intensely interesting in its results that even the anxious father felt no impatience but watched the scene with deep interest. As the healed woman was sent away comforted and rejoicing, it encouraged him to believe still more firmly that Jesus was able to grant his own petition and heal his daughter.” -Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 2, p. 322

But just then a message came that was to test Jairus’ faith more deeply.

Life and Death
“While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” -Luke 8:49

As you can imagine, Jairus must have been in a storm of grief and confusion. Why had she died? Help was so close. Why couldn’t Jesus have hurried? Was all hope gone?

Jairus thought he was coming to Jesus to save his daughter, he didn’t realize Jesus was seeking to apply the healing remedy to Jairus’ own soul. Jesus knew that Jairus’ weak faith had been growing, he was now ready to be treated more directly. Therefore, Jesus’ statement to Jairus deals less with the physical issues of the daughter, and more with the emotional and spiritual issues of Jairus himself. Jairus had two great problems. First, he was fearful. Second, he was unbelieving. Jesus wanted to heal Jairus of these maladies.

“He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” -Luke 8:50

As they reached the house, dozens of people were mourning and wailing. This didn’t phase the Life Giver. He told them to be quiet and sent everyone outside except Peter, James, John, and the parents. It was no longer time to mingle with the unbelieving crowd. It was time to minister to this family.

Jesus’ work is primarily an individual work. He is not interested in simply educating the masses (although there’s a time and place for that). Jesus delights in ministering to the needs of the individual. Jesus works in homes. He restores families.

What did Jesus do next? Did He provide health education? No. There’s a time and place for health education, but it doesn’t help the dead. Many times I’ve tried to educate the spiritually dead, but it’s useless without life from Jesus.

Jesus simply came close to Jairus’ daughter, grasped her lifeless hand, and called to her, saying:

“Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked…and they were overcome with great amazement. But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat. -Mark 5:41-43

The time for health education had come, so Jesus told them to feed her.

Medical evangelism is often effective in bringing publicity, protection, and prosperity to God’s cause. However, that was not the purpose of these works of benevolence. So Jesus asks the parents not to broadcast the story because He knew that might interfere with His ministry. Jesus’ medical ministry was, and is, a quiet work. He doesn’t heal us to bring Himself fame and fortune. He heals to bring us comfort and relief. He used the physical as a means to introduce the spiritual – as should we.

The Great Physician knows how to triage for He knows our needs better than we do. May His spirit of true godliness dwell in us as we seek to minister to the needs of others. May we give Him all praise and glory for the healing power of His love.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. -Psalm 103:1-5

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