Christian Medial Fellowship
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25th January: Where Truth and Love Meet

Speaking the truth in love ... Ephesians 4:15

There are times when doctors have to tell patients very difficult things. It is never easy to tell anyone that he or she has an incurable disease, but it is sometimes necessary. In these circumstances we need to pay special attention to the words of the apostle Paul: we must speak the truth in love. The patient should be aware that we are for him or her as a person as we explain the situation. People with incurable diseases should know that we shall do all we can to ease the pain and suffering of their remaining days. The love we show must be, not just in words, but in deed and in truth (1 Jn 3:18).

The same rule applies as we talk to the relatives and close friends of patients. We must show to them that we care about the sorrow that they feel when they know that someone near and dear to them has not long to live. They may be able to see, from our actions as well as our words, that we have the highest interests of the patient at heart. It is important that the relatives know just what we have said to the patient, and how we have said it. Nobody, least of all someone with an incurable disease, likes to be told something different by the various members of the team caring for him. If the medication the patient is to receive will have any side-effects (such as loss of hair with cytotoxic drugs), the patient should be gently warned in advance that this will happen. A leukaemia patient who took pride in the appearance of her hair was shocked when a nurse asked casually, `Has your hair fallen out yet?' We must speak the truth in love, with kindness and sympathy towards all concerned.

Lord, there are times when it is not easy to tell people
the truth about themselves and their illnesses. We need
your wisdom and grace in a special way at such times.
Help us always to speak the truth in love, just as you do
to us. Grant that your love may be seen in all our words
and actions, so that people will be drawn to you.

Further reading: 1 John 3:13-24.

JWMcM

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