Cultivating A Cheerful Heart
by Dan Jones, M.D.
Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Over my years in practice, I have learned a lot. The practice of medicine requires life long learning as the science-based knowledge is always evolving. And then, there is much to know about the art of the practice of medicine. I believe that part of my skill set continues to mature. During these 30 or so years in practice, I have learned from journals, textbooks, seminars, and from my colleagues. But, during this time I have learned the most from a special group of people – my patients.
Among my patients who have helped me learn and grow, one group, in particular, stands out. These are the patients from the leprosy community in Pusan, Korea. For several years, I held a clinic twice a month in this village on the seaside on the outskirts of Pusan. Prior to my first visit to the community, I had heard about the place and knew there was a Presbyterian church that was the focal point of community life.
I made my first visit to the community to meet the pastor of the church. He had been seeking a physician to do a clinic in facilities built by the church. For several reasons, I was uncertain about whether I should try to work with these patients. I had no special training or knowledge of leprosy management. The church was Presbyterian and I was in Korea as a Baptist missionary. Time was limited…..
To my surprise, the pastor didn’t attempt on that visit to convince me to commit to doing a clinic in the community. Instead, he invited me to attend the worship service the following Sunday morning. I didn’t understand why but decided to accept his invitation. At the end of that service, I understood his strategy. Never have I experienced a sweeter spirit in a church worship service. The members were all leprosy patients and their families. Many had contracted the disease years earlier before modern medications were available that could prevent the severe disfigurement caused by the unchecked disease.
It was emotionally overwhelming to see so many gathered in one place with such severe physical disfigurement. But when the singing began, I had a new understanding of God’s love and mercy. There was a tremendous joy evident in the hearts of the people. Certainly, when the hymns were about heaven, the worshipers sang with a longing that was beyond my level of understanding. In that service, I was able to see and appreciate what God can do in a people who are humble in spirit together.
As people greeted us so warmly at the conclusion of the service, I knew the pastor’s strategy had worked. We were ready to commit some time and energy to these lovely people. There were clear medical needs to be met and I was determined to help. But I knew that the sweet spirit of these humble, merry Christian people would be good medicine for my heart.
Lord, thank you for the blessings of learning from my patients. Thank you for allowing me to experience the joy in the hearts of these patients.
Dan Jones, M.D., MACP, FAHA, a board-certified Internist, a former medical missionary to Korea, professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dean of the School of Medicine, and Chancellor of the University of Mississippi until 2015. Dr. Dan Jones is a member of CMDA.
Rounds with the Master, Spiritual Pearls from the Great Physician Devotionals are released every Monday and Thursday.
Photo by Konstantin Planinski on Unsplash
