cmda is committed to bringing the hope and healing of Christ to the world through healthcare students and professionals

Purposeful Conversation

Purposeful Conversation

by Dan Jones, M.D.

John 4:11-15;25-26

"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

    Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

    The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

    The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

    Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

As Jesus encountered this Samaritan woman at the well, it was not enough for him only to be pleasant and accepting of the woman.  His actions demonstrating acceptance of her as a person were powerful, but he went further by engaging her in a very purposeful conversation.  Their initial words were about water.  Jesus used this metaphor to speak of the water of life with the woman. 

As health professionals, we certainly have to be cautious that we don’t take advantage of vulnerable people.  Our professional relationship places us in a position of trust that can be abused if we are not sensitive.  But, in our professional lives, the Holy Spirit can guide us and prepare the hearts of those we serve to allow at the right moment a very purposeful conversation about spiritual matters.

This is such a sensitive area for health professionals.  As I work with medical students, I have found it difficult to find the right words to explain this balance between respecting the professional relationship with the patient and following the Holy Spirit’s guidance in when to say a word about faith.

Early in my days as a dean, a group of students from our school came to visit me to report on a conference they had attended.  The topic of the conference was sharing your faith through the profession of medicine.  As they began the conversation, I was concerned that I might be uncomfortable with what they had learned at the conference.  I was afraid they might have been encouraged to a level of boldness that would not be appropriately balanced with sensitivity to the patients’ desires.  I was moved as these students described to me their learning.  They described a desire to demonstrate a loving attitude with every patient through their actions as health professionals and be sensitive to the patient’s words that might invite a spiritual conversation.  I am confident God is blessing that desire on their part to respect their patients’ wishes and to lovingly share their faith when the Holy Spirit made it clear the patient desired this spiritual word.

Lord, help me to be purposeful in my actions and conversation and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my relationships with 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.

Dr. Jones welcomes any comments or questions about what he has written and can be reached at - djones@umc.edu

Rounds with the Master, Spiritual Pearls from the Great Physician Devotionals are released every Monday and Thursday.

Photo by Etienne Boulanger on Unsplash

Stay Focused

Stay Focused

Find Opportunities In The Normal

Find Opportunities In The Normal