Holy Gallstones, Batman!
Chaplain Bill Wolfe
Llano County Sheriff’s Department
Wait. February is “the Love Month.” So? You’re going to talk about gallstones, not love? I’m going to do both. What?!? Quick, Robin, to the Bat-computer!
Oh. Hello, <blush> and welcome to the Chaplain’s Corner. Sorry…little throw-back to one of the TV series I grew up with ’way back close to 40 years ago. Many of you of in “my generation” probably are too embarrassed to own up to watching that version of Batman and Robin.
I had been wracking my soon-to-be 53-year-old brain, trying to come up with an article about “love” for a couple of weeks. Then all of a sudden we were faced with Claudia having gallstones and needing to have surgery, so that became a major focus in our lives. About 0200 the other morning, I tried to refocus my thoughts on an article about God’s love. Out of nowhere the title of this article popped into my mind and I saw how Claudia’s operation could be an illustration of God’s love. No…I have not lost my mind – yet. Just bear with me for a few, and I’ll see if I can make it make sense. J And bear in mind that like a lot of illustrations, it isn’t perfect in every detail.
A little medical info to start. The liver and gall bladder work together to rid the body, and blood stream in particular, of toxins and other substances. But sometimes stones form in the gall bladder and eventually cause “pain and suffering” of varying magnitudes to occur. When the stones become enough of a problem, the doctor goes in and removes the gall bladder. The doctor does so out of concern for the patient and hopefully with a measure of compassion.
Okay…here’s the comparison. The liver and gall bladder are somewhat analogous to the human conscience. Although there are some who refuse to admit that we ought to feel guilt and shame and actually have a concrete sense of right and wrong, we have all had a fully functioning conscience at some point in our lives that told us when we were “being bad” – making wrong choices, doing things we shouldn’t. Think not? Ever said, “Don’t tell Mom (or Dad) what I did”?
Unfortunately, what happens eventually is that our conscience develops “stones.” These “stones” can be a result of “Well, it didn’t hurt me that time” or “I got away with it”…things that develop into harmful habits or behaviors towards others. They may be the result of hurts suffered as a result of bad choices on our part, be they choices of friends or lovers or substances. Bitterness towards others because of actual or perceived wrongs done by them (especially ex’s) towards us or our loved ones is a very common “stone.” All of these “stones” can cause us to live in emotional pain and discomfort. Sometimes so much so that a person gets to where it isn’t possible to find really find relief, no matter how they try.
The good news is that there is a Great Physician who is capable of removing these “stones.” Unlike the human doctor who removes the gall bladder, God doesn’t remove our conscience, but rather heals it. In a spiritual sense healing the “gall bladder” also heals the heart. God would help us to begin making better choices, begin to become less focused on our being wronged. He would bring a renewed sense of hope that things can be better. And He does it because He loves us. He doesn’t want us to suffer the emotional pain that comes from broken friendships and relationships and marriages. He wants to help us.
Claudia has to “take a chance” and “step out in faith,” believing that the surgeon can fix the problem in her body, and ask the doctor to do so. Likewise, we have to “step out in faith” and ask the Great Physician to bring healing to our lives. I encourage you today…be a risk taker and give God a chance. He loves you more than you know.
Blessings to you and yours. Catch you next month. [Narrator: Same Bat time, same Bat channel … umm, Bat page?] J
And now the commercial: Come join us the last Saturday in February and see if Cam puts birthday candles on my pizza. J Details at www.fcpohouston.org under Annual Conference.
Chaplain Bill
llanochaps@moment.net
