There is a hospital that is in our midst, but not everyone can see it. It is not made of ‘Brick and Mortar’ as most hospitals are, but it still exists nonetheless. The patients are ‘scattered about’, often wandering aimlessly, hoping that one day hospital staff will appear and tend to the needs of the afflicted. Unfortunately, only a few have answered the call, and as a result only a few have been able to receive what could be considered minimal treatment.
In the meantime, many of the patients have resorted to ‘self medicating’ in order to curb their suffering. This comes in the form of drug abuse and alcoholism. Owning a pet helps to alleviate the pain as well, the pain of being deeply lonesome and rejected by society. Some ask how on earth these people can possibly afford to own a pet when they cannot take care of themselves. Well, sometimes it is a matter of can’t affording ‘not to’ since the alternative is so utterly painful.
In this unseen hospital, the patients have been taking care of each other using whatever materials are available to them, regardless of how ineffective they are, or unsanitary. Self styled ‘Nurses’ tend to the ‘Walking Wounded’, cleaning and dressing open sores with love and tenderness. It is actually quite beautiful to watch. I myself have had these ‘Amateurs’ caress swelling in my lower legs, all the while giving me ‘sage advice’ as to what I really ought to do about the problem. As I have told these tenderhearted individuals time and time again, if I ever get sick I will hire one of them as my personal nurse to look after me, hands down.
One has to ask, what kind of country allows these hospitals to exist without really acknowledging the fact that they are filled with ‘Human Beings’ in desperate need of physical and mental care. What kind of country throws billions of dollars towards the aid of people in other countries, when our own are literally dying in the streets from drug overdoses and various mental illnesses.
I think the answer is what an awful lot of people may not wish to hear. As our society becomes more and more secular, the values of the Bible are becoming more and more obscure, unpopular, and unappreciated. As people increasingly shrug off all forms of restraint, the world increasingly becoming nothing but a proverbial ‘Wild West’ in terms of what is right and wrong, good and bad.
The Bible teaches us that we as individuals in many ways are ‘Like a Body’ with each of us representing various parts. the Bible also teaches us that every part of the ‘Body’, is equally as important as all the rest, with one exception; the weaker, or seemingly less honorable parts. In their case, we are to pay special attention and give special consideration to their care and well being. Gee, I wonder which parts the scriptures are talking about? I can certainly think of one in particular!
It reminds me of a funny ANALogy I remembered hanging on the wall of ‘Ed’s Service Station’ back in my hometown of Beamsville Ontario, Canada. The owner of that fine establishment was a man named Ed Kotrus. Ed was an extremely hard working and dedicated man, serving the public day in and day out, repairing every form of mechanical problem vehicle owners could throw at him. Ed was unpretentious and very honest, nor did he tolerate bullshit. The story he put up on the wall was about how all the body parts once became embroiled in an argument as to which part of the body was most important. As the debate raged on, the butthole decided to slam shut, resulting in all the other parts going into all sorts of misery and eventually even malfunctioning to various degrees. Something tells me the debate as to which part was most important had an obvious winner!
There are an awful lot of body parts out there that think they are number one as far as importance is concerned. The are also more than a few A-holes out there that think their crap doesn’t stink as well. Perhaps if we all could only realize that we are all part of the same body, and there isn’t any part that is really better than the next. Sure, I guess the brain is pretty darned important. So is the heart. What I suggest is that we should learn a little more about ’The Mind and Heart’ of Christ Jesus. Perhaps we should consider the fact that he made himself a servant to all, as opposed to strutting around thinking that he himself should be served by all.
Have you ever served someone who the rest of society looks down upon? It is a very rewarding experience, trust me! The amount of appreciation usually shown by those that very few appreciate can be overwhelming. Yes, I have had some individuals wrinkle their noses at a plate of delicious food that wasn’t quite up to their expectations. Yes I have had some throw a ‘Hissy Fit’ because I offered to make them a sandwich instead of handing them a ten dollar bill. Fortunately, those episodes were ‘far and few between’.
Let’s not let the actions of a few ruin it for the rest of them. I personally know from experience that regardless of whatever demons many of these individuals are battling, they by far are still decent human beings, with hearts of gold.
So why don’t you plan to visit ‘The Hospital’ and get to know some of the patients personally? You may just find that if you look into the eyes of someone who truly appreciates your visit, you may actually fall in love with them, and ask yourself why you hadn’t visited sooner.
Glory be to God in the highest, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!
Wednesday September 10th, 2025
By Lucien Alexander Delean aka ‘Looch’