A couple weeks ago, I went to see my family doctor. He’s been treating me for years. *

Our visits are usually pretty low key. He asks me questions while squinting at my chart, listens to my lungs, asks me what I’m doing for Christmas or vacation, makes a couple corny jokes, answers any questions I have, writes my prescription and says see you next time.

I’ll ask him what he’s doing for Christmas or vacation, ask a question or two like is it really necessary to have a colonoscopy again so soon, thank him, and say see you next time. But this last visit, I gave him pause. And I think I made him smile. At least I hope so.

At the end of my visit, just before he left, I said, “Hey Doctor, could you wait just one more minute? I have something I’d like to say to you.” He immediately sat down with a concerned look on his face. Was I going to tell him I was in excruciating pain? Was I going to blast him? I’d never said I had something else to say to him.

I said, “I don’t know if you get a lot of thanks or not,” I said, “but I would like to seriously thank you Doctor. You have done me a lot of good over the years. You have taken care of me, I have experienced healing numerous pains and sicknesses because you have prescribed medicine for me. And I have been thinking about this lately. Two years ago you saved my life when you had me get a stress test when I was having burning in my chest. They found I had a 95-percent blockage in an artery and gave me a stent. I could have had a heart attack. So you saved my life. So I just want to thank you.”

I couldn’t tell through his thick glasses if his eyes were getting moist. But he seemed affected. I went on. “Doctor, I don’t know if you think about this, but you are doing a lot of good to a lot of people. You are bringing healing and relief of pain and comfort to hundreds of people. And you’ve been doing it for years. I hope you know how much good you are doing.

He thanked me and mentioned another man he’d just scheduled for a stress test. Then we shook hands and went on to the next patient. I hope I made his day.

I want to grow in thankfulness. By appreciating my doctor I was also appreciating how God blesses me through him. That’s the next thing I hope to tell him. That what he does represents God in his desire to heal and save lives and bless. Hopefully a visit in the future.

Jesus’ followers should be the most grateful people on the face of the earth. This Christmas, let’s think back over God’s goodness to us this past year and forget not all His benefits.

 

*This article was originally written/published by the author under the title “How to Make Your Doctor Smile.”