doctor's life support

30th July: Perspective on People

And he said to her, 'Daughter...' Mark 5:34

Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, the supervisor of the synagogue, whose 12-year-old daughter was dying.

A woman with gynaecological bleeding for those same 12 years -- an outcast economically, socially and religiously because of her disease -- saw hope in Jesus passing by and tried to grasp only the hem of the garment he wore... and was healed.

The woman was alone, unnamed, outcast, unwanted, suffering, poor and (of all medical specialities) gynaecological. She should not have been there. Jesus healed her, but not without cost. He realised that power had left him. Our greatest work is that which costs us most. This gives a greater sense of achievement.

Jesus brought her onto the centre stage. So often we tend to keep such people out of the centre -- reserving that for the prominent, the financially rewarding, the attractive or the politically appropriate.

She was unnamed, but Jesus went past naming her. In the family we sometimes use terms of endearment that are even more expressive than a name. Jesus used such a word here -- the same world Jairus used (v23) for his only child. Jesus took her from being an outcast to the point of belonging, not only in the crowd, but in the inner family.

We are concerned with numbers of people in medicine, with attempts at solving overall problems. In so doing we lose sight of the individual, especially those of no account, when to work with such people would cost us something. Jesus made her the focus of his attention and his care. The rich, religious, politically aware, suffering Jairus just had to wait -- for an outcast.

Teach us, Lord, that people of no account
are really of great account in your order of things.
Help us to have your perspective in all our contact with people.

Further reading: Mk 5:21-35.

LS