Month: September 2021

“Dad, you’re not funny.”

I had just finished telling a joke to my college-aged daughter. I thought it was funny and was still snickering when she made that observation. I quickly retorted. 

“Oh Sweetheart! My residents laughed at it!”

“Dad!” she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. “They HAVE to laugh at your Dad jokes!”

“What’s a Dad joke?” My daughter explained that a Dad joke is an unfunny joke told by a middle aged or older man. No wonder I didn’t understand, the joke was on me! Corny, predictable…that’s what being a dad means! The irony is these are the types of jokes I have told all my life, long before I was ever a dad or even married. The only difference is the passage of time. Guess I have never been funny! However, I have heard many of these same jokes shared and laughed amongst others who are my daughter’s age. Clearly it is not the message, it is the messenger!

When Jesus Christ lived on this earth, He often quoted the great saints and prophets like Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah, all recorded in the books of the Old Testament. In this following passage, Jesus was beginning His ministry and was invited to speak in the synagogue in Nazareth, His home town. He quoted the prophet Isaiah.

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”

Luke 4:17-21 (CSB)

Unlike the day when these words were first spoken by Isaiah, Jesus was met with hostility when He spoke these same words. Even though the same words were spoken and taught in the synagogues by countless rabbis for hundreds of years, the listeners violently reacted to them. It was not the message, it was the messenger!

Everything Jesus did in His life proved that He was the Messiah. He was the fulfilment of hundreds of prophecies written by their same prophets. Hearing, believing, and acting upon these words is the path to salvation and eternal life. One can choose to listen and obey His words and receive salvation and eternal life or ignore them and accept separation from God and His saving grace and love.  

And that is no joke!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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“I’m the CEO of three companies!”

Wow. Impressive credentials in any setting, however, did he have to announce this at a homeowners association (HOA) meeting? Many years ago, I attended an HOA meeting for the community in which I lived at that time. There was a gathering of about 30 people, most of whom we were meeting for the first time. We were asked to introduce ourselves and state our address. Most of the introductions were perfunctory and polite, not this neighbor. He wanted to make it known that we should be fortunate to be living with such an esteemed and successful leader.

When is the appropriate time to boast about one’s credentials? Certainly when applying for a new job or being introduced as an expert in a field, proper credentials are crucial to establish credibility and establish confidence. But what about in social situations, like an HOA meeting? As far as I was concerned, we were all equal, living in the same community. Yet for this homeowner, it was a competition. He was not in the running to be on the board or some committee. Was the end goal simply to make the rest of us feel inferior? How very different is the example of Jesus Christ. 

He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

1 Peter 2:22-23 (NLT)

Jesus Christ has every reason to boast about His credentials. He lived the life of a perfect Man and He was God incarnate. If He desired, He could call tens of thousands of angels to assist Him at a moment’s notice. The universe was created by Him and if He chose, it could also be annihilated by Him in an instant. Yet, with all this power and glory, He chose to live the life of a carpenter and an itinerant preacher. Why did He live such a humble and lowly life? What was the end goal?

For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

1 Peter 2:21 (NLT)

Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and we can be confident that He understands all of the trials and suffering that we encounter. He was sent to earth to restore the relationship that sin had broken between man and God. His end goal was to show that all who confess and repent of their sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior will have eternal life and salvation. 

His end goal is not to make us feel inferior. He elevates us to become fellow sons and daughters of God, heirs to the indescribable glory and riches of God!

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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It was a castle built in the middle ages and for three days, it was our home in Burgundy, France. Our first meal was in the lower levels of the castle, converted into an elegant dining room. As we traversed down the well-worn and twisting stone steps, the familiar scents of a kitchen greeted us. Reaching the bottom, we entered a commodious room replete with tapestries suspended on the stone walls. Escorted to our table by an immaculately dressed maitre d’ in a tuxedo, we were transported back in time to a far grander era. 

The menu was typical Burgundian fare which we were eager to sample. There was also a ribeye steak, procured from the locally raised Charolais cattle. We heard much about this fabled cut of meat and being avid carnivores, were excited to sample it for the first time. About a half hour after we ordered, our steak was brought to the table by the server who expertly carved and parsed it out on our two plates. The server bowed to us, turned to leave, and took the plate that held the now neatly carved and stripped bone. My wife and I stared in horror and we simultaneously exclaimed, “Wait, bring that back!”

The server was confused. “What do you mean, the plate?”

“No, the bone!”

His eyes opened wide as if I had just spit on his face. “Why?”

“That’s the best part!”

Still confused, he asked, “What are you going to do with it?”

Now we were confused. “We’re going to gnaw on it!”

The server brought the bone back and placed it on our table. He was muttering something in French below his breath. We could see some of the other diners snickering at us. Those boorish Americans, they undoubtedly thought. I smiled at my wife, thankful for our recovered prize.

I am usually sensitive to how others perceive me in public, but not this time. When I desire something, any criticism does not stick. I am too preoccupied with my selfish desires to care. What about my spiritual life? Have there ever been times when I have been ashamed of my faith in Jesus Christ?

For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels. 

Luke 9:26 (CSB)

There has never been a time when I have been directly asked whether I was a Christian and I did not affirm it. However, there have been many times when my behavior was very un-Christlike and I was a poor ambassador of Jesus Christ. Words and actions are often inseparable. My actions shamed my Lord and Savior but I was preoccupied with my selfish needs to care. It may begin as something small but it can easily escalate. It is a continual reminder how I need to surround myself with dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, who hold me accountable for my errant words and behavior. 

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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The patient had a rash that sporadically recurred over the last ten years. He had seen numerous dermatologists, rheumatologists, and endocrinologists and undergone several biopsies. All of their consultation reports as well as the previous biopsies were sent to me for an additional consultation. As I completed the last sentence of my consultation, I remembered the words of one of my mentors in surgical pathology. “The objective of a good pathology report is to not generate a phone call from the submitting physician.”

These words have proven to be true throughout my career. If I do not carefully anticipate every question or choose my words carefully, the inevitable phone call results, asking for clarification. I then spend a great deal of time, repeatedly explaining my consultation report to the various involved physicians, when it could have all been avoided if I took the extra time with my initial report. 

What about my spiritual walk with God? Unlike my clients, the more feedback I receive from Him, the better. In fact, the very times when I think I am doing well, is when I need Him the most. I become prideful, thinking that I am able to navigate the potholes of life by my own efforts. In reality, I am separating myself from God’s guidance and His voice grows faint and distant. The great Christian author and apologist, C.S. Lewis, eloquently wrote, “For pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” 

The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead. Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies. They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!”

Psalms 10:4-6 (NLT)

In life, a good report may not generate unnecessary calls and questions. In God’s Kingdom, the more intervention and calls He gives me, the better. When I am prideful, there is no room for God to work in my life. I can never be content to rest upon my own efforts when I serve God.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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She was a new dermatology client. I had been working as her consultant for about a month when I received a phone call from her. Usually affable, she was anything but as she launched into her tirade. 

“Why are you adding a comment to your diagnoses to re-excise my atypical moles?”

It was a frequently asked question and I confidently answered her. “It is only a recommendation. Studies have shown there is a greater risk of these lesions progressing to melanoma. If you read my comment…”

She cut me off. “Don’t tell me what to do! I’m a board certified dermatologist! I know what to do!”

I politely agreed to her demand but added, “I’m not questioning your professional expertise, I’m simply mentioning the current guidelines for management of these lesions. It is up to you to decide how you want to manage your patient.”

“Good! Then don’t mention it.”

“I won’t, no problem.” I ended the disturbing call. Perturbed, I immediately called another dermatologist, one for whom I had been her consultant for over ten years. “Hi Sally, “ I began. “Quick question. When I give treatment recommendations for atypical moles in my reports to you, does this upset you?”

“No, in fact, our group likes that you do that! Why are you asking?”

I then recounted the unpleasant encounter I had with the other dermatologist. After listening, she sighed and said, “Well, as far as our group is concerned, the more recommendations you give us, the better.”

I added this comment with the best of intentions. While the majority of my clients appreciated the recommendations, clearly this was not a unanimously held opinion. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 15:13

When it comes to my spiritual walk with God, I welcome any guidance that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can give me. When I am confused and indecisive, when I encounter a situation I have not previously experienced, instead of feelings of insecurity, God fills me with joy and peace when I allow Him to guide me by His Holy Spirit.

“Lord Jesus, please tell me what to do!”

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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“Oh great, he didn’t take care of that urgent case.” My attending physician was nonplussed as he entered his office. Two other attending physicians were present, sifting through dozens of cases that needed to be signed out. One looked up and sighed, “Yup. It was left on his desk over an hour ago.”

“I’ll take care of it.” He shook his head as his eyes wandered to the ceiling. “Just don’t tell the old man!”

I was present for a conversation that I should not have heard. I was a third year medical student, doing my first rotation in surgical pathology. My mentor, the old man, was a giant amongst hospital surgical pathologists. The fame and reputation of this hospital’s pathology department was built upon his diagnostic acumen. I was honored to work and learn from him and the experience solidified my decision to choose pathology for my medical specialty. 

Yet, even at this nascent stage of my career, I was aware of his shortcomings. It began by blaming others for his mistakes. The surgeon did not provide enough clinical information. The radiologist biopsied the wrong lesion. While there may have been some truth to these accusations, with time, it was clear that most of the errors were his alone. I was embarrassed for my mentor and privately hoped that he would quietly retire, before he would be directly confronted by his colleagues or the hospital administration. 

As I near the end of my career, I wonder if a similar fate awaits me? Will my colleagues be making excuses for me, covering for my omissions and errors? I pray that God will show me when it is time to gracefully exit and I will take responsibility and retire before being confronted by others and forced to accept my shortcomings. But what about the present? Do I make excuses for my sins, dismissing or minimizing them, only to reluctantly acknowledge them when confronted by others?

When King David had an adulterous affair with Bathesheba who became pregnant, he orchestrated a sinister plot with one of his generals, Joab, to cover up his sin. David instructed Joab to have his troops withdraw from Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, when he was fighting in the front lines. When David later learned of Uriah’s inevitable death, he dismissed his guilt and even gave this false issuance of encouragement to Joab and his soldiers. 

“Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

2 Samuel 11:25 (NLT)

The sheer audacity and horror of David’s comments were not hidden from God who confronted David’s egregious sin through His prophet, Nathan. Only at that point did David acknowledge his own sin and write these words of contrition. 

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.

Psalms 51:4-6 (NLT)

Does it take a direct admonition from God before I confess and repent of my sins and take responsibility for my own actions? Sadly, God has chastised me many times for unconfessed or overlooked sins. When I sin, it hurts many people, and I need to restore the relationships. But the most important and first relationship that needs to be restored is with God. He alone needs to hear my first confession and repentance. 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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It was our second year of marriage and my wife and I were meeting with a financial advisor. We were both beginning our professional careers and we had no children. We recently purchased our first home together and this depleted most of our savings. As the advisor reviewed our assets, he stated, “You are house rich. You need to build your cash and savings, investing in an IRA or 401K, if your company provides one.”

All of our eggs were in one financial basket. We needed to diversify our investment portfolio. We all agreed and nearly twenty five years later, my wife and I are both approaching our retirement and we have followed a disciplined pathway, methodically saving and investing, diversifying our assets. It was sound advice then and thousands of years ago. 

Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

Ecclesiastes 11:2 (NIV)

The Bible is replete with wisdom regarding our finances. Why? Everything we own belongs to God; we are merely stewards of our possessions when we are alive on this earth. Money is no different than other possessions. It is the love of money, not money itself, that is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). When we obsess over our wealth and possessions and trust in the size of our bank account and investments, there is no room for trusting and believing in God. We begin to think we have achieved this success on our own, not by God’s grace. We think that we are house rich but we are spiritually poor.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

Luke 16:10-11 (NIV)

Diversification. 

How we manage the resources God gives us has eternal significance in Heaven. The possessions we have in this life are miniscule compared to the true riches in Heaven that God will give to all who through confess and repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Our attention and energy needs to be focused upon what God desires for His kingdom, rather than what we desire for immediate comforts. 

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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Verruciform xanthoma.

If one can excuse the crassness of my statement, this is one of my favorite diseases. It presents as a clinically worrisome lesion, raising the spectre of cancer. However, upon microscopic examination, it is benign and a simple excision is curative. Initial appearances can be deceiving. I often receive direct positive feedback with this diagnosis informing me that everyone is happy-the patient, their family, and the treating physician. I wish all my diagnoses were benign and my patients are immediately cured.

How often have I found myself in a situation when the initial appearances seem hopeless? Perhaps you have also found yourself in a similar situation? A rejection from a college or professional school. Getting fired from your dream job. A diagnosis of cancer. The list is endless. When trials confront us, what hope do we have?

While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NLT)

We all groan as our bodies age, some, like myself, more than others. The longer we live, the more the injuries accumulate. It is not only physical ailments. The emotional and psychological wounds add up and also weigh us down. The rejections. The broken relationships. At times, it may be overwhelming and we may even adopt a fatalistic attitude, resigning ourselves that we are only born for trouble and tribulation, as surely as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7). Thanks be to God that He gives us the promise of a better life and affirmed it with the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. If we confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He seals us with His Holy Spirit and begins the process of regeneration, reversing the inexorable progress to death and destruction that sin wrecks upon our lives. Someday, in Heaven, it will be complete and we will rejoice with our new bodies. There will be no more physical ailments and no more tears of sorrow. 

Initial appearances can be deceiving.

If we only focus upon our immediate circumstances, we may quickly despair. Only faith and belief in Jesus Christ can give us the true view of reality and give us confidence that we will overcome all and live in triumph in eternity with Him. 

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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The thundering explosion reverberated through the city blocks. Thousands of shards of glass, metal, and paper were dispersed in the air, all emanating from the burning building. Chaos reigned as hundreds of frightened observers on the ground raced away from the tragedy. What happened? Was it a bomb? An electrical malfunction? Someone said a plane crashed into the building! Less than twenty minutes later, there was a second explosion. This time many saw the second jet airliner slam into the adjacent tower. Was this just a coincidence? What was happening? As one frightened bystander remarked, overheard on an anonymous eyewitness video, “This seems to be on purpose!”

It was September 11, 2001. 

Twenty years ago, the worst terrorist attack on American soil occurred. It forever changed our country and the world and the results of the attack still reverberate today. We will always honor the thousands who lost their lives on that horrific day. For some, life ended the instant the buildings were struck. For others, like many first responders who rushed into the burning buildings in a desperate attempt to save anyone they could, they perished a short time later. Yet, even in the midst of this turmoil, very few understood or were aware that they were in a deliberate attack. We may conjure reasons to explain our circumstances. It was an accident. It was an unusual coincidence. As everyone soon found out, it was purposeful and deliberate.

We will never know when evil strikes again but we know it will happen. However, like the heinous attack on 9/11, we may not realize it is happening until it is too late. What can we do to prepare? God gives us the answer. 

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.

1 Peter 4:12-13 (CSB)

Our preparation comes from obeying and trusting God. He faced the same evil when He lived on this earth. He was continually attacked by His many enemies, all orchestrated by Satan. Even during times of peace and celebration, He faced evil. Unlike us, Jesus is always aware when evil is present.

But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.

1 Peter 4:16 (CSB)

We may not know when the next attack upon us will occur but we can be confident that through faith in Jesus Christ, He will protect and guide us when it happens. We are victorious because He is victorious.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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