JOY AT MEDICAL SCHOOL
Remember How a Doctor Does It
This is a medical school analogy.
Stephen R. Covey would often say, “You never prescribe before you diagnose…”
Many times in member missionary work we tend to think of something to share with someone then we try and find someone to share it with. Does that sound familiar?
Are you acquainted with the Book of Mormon Challenge? This is where an Elders Quorum, for example, would meet on Sunday and a well-intentioned leader of the group would challenge someone to take a copy of the Book of Mormon and give it away that week to someone of their choosing. Then, the following week, the volunteer would report back to the group on how it went.
When the challenge is first issued, the room tends to be somewhat silent. After a few moments, however, some brave and faithful soul would volunteer to take the challenge and would take possession of the book.
At that point the pressure starts. The last thing in the world he wants to do is show up next week without having given out the book. That would simply be too embarrassing!
Is this the way Jesus did missionary work? I’m not sure it is…
Take this same approach and apply it to a medical school class.
Would you take the “Penicillin Challenge?”
The “Penicillin Challenge” at Medical School
Let’s suppose on Monday morning the medical school professor gathers the medical students together and says, “Okay, class. This week we’re going to do the Penicillin Challenge. I have here a vial of penicillin. I would like someone to volunteer to take it with them today and find someone to give it to over the course of the next week. Your challenge is to come back next Monday morning and tell the class what you did with the penicillin. Now, who would like to volunteer?”
After a few moments of silence, an optimistic first-year medical school intern raises his hand and accepts the challenge. His fellow classmates silently gasp at his bravery and courage. But here’s the problem…
From the moment the volunteer takes on the challenge, his only goal is to get rid of the penicillin by next week. Consequently, his mind is focused on the need to get rid of the penicillin within seven days or he faces the embarrassment of failing the medical school challenge in front of his peers.
Later that afternoon, he comes across someone limping across campus who could obviously use some crutches. “No,” he thinks to himself, “…that’s not my person. Penicillin won’t help here.”
Two days later he’s riding on the local bus on his way to school when a lady is exhibiting a terrible cough across the aisle from him. “Poor lady,” he thinks to himself, “…I hope she can get over her cough. Too bad penicillin won’t help her or I would have the perfect solution!”
Finally, the next Sunday, he is walking pasta school with an outdoor playground where a number of men are playing a pick-up game of basketball. Suddenly, one of them pulls up short while trying a lay-up because he suddenly has a cramp. “That’s too bad he got a cramp,” the guy says to himself. “What’s even worse is that penicillin won’t help him.” So, he keeps on walking.
So…
Do you see the problem? Here are three people who need some help but because the medical student has predetermined what the solution is, he’s not sensitive to the fact that he 1) Could have given assistance to the person who was limping across campus; 2) Could have helped the lady on the bus by asking her about her condition then offering to help in some way; or 3) Could have assisted the basketball player with a cramping issue. But because he’s already decided that there’s only one remedy that’s important to him that week, he misses the opportunities to help someone else out along the way.
How Jesus Did It
I believe Jesus was really good at helping people with what they needed at the time. For example, if you had just lost an ear, Jesus reattached it (Luke 22:51.) If your daughter had just died, Jesus brought her back to life (Luke 8:54-55). If you were blind, He helped you to see (John 9:1-7). You see, Jesus focused on what the person needed, not on something He had decided to do in advance!
Jesus heals a blind man.
Can you image Jesus saying to His apostles on a Monday morning, “Okay, brethren, this week I’d like you to go out and heal one blind person. Come back next Monday morning and tell us what happened!”
How foolish to send out the apostles with a pre-directed solution to give people! That’s the exact opposite of helping someone with what THEY need at the time.
How This Applies to Us
So in member missionary work, our job as members of the Church is to let the Lord guide us to those who could use our help, then assist them with what’s important to them! Since Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:14) and He knows His sheep (same verse) it naturally follows that He knows what those sheep need. It also logically follows that not all sheep need the same thing!
So let Him guide you through the Holy Spirit to assist those that He will bring into your pathway. I believe Jesus has been working with these people for years and He could use your help to assist them in progressing to the next step.
If they need penicillin, give them penicillin; and if they need a band-aid, give them a band-aid; finally, if they just need a listening ear, give them a listening ear. You will be successful if you do!
follow the spirit, hastening the work, jesus christ, medical school, penicillin, sheep, shepherd, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
