“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 (RSV)
This scripture encourages us to stay focused on good, honorable and positive things. Doing what this scripture says to do, can yield the effect of medicine for our soul.
There is a resident at the Nursing Facility, who I befriended over the past two years during my visits. I will call him Jim, to protect his privacy. Of all the residents I’ve met, Jim seems to be the most sound minded person there. Maybe it’s because he’s not living there due to substance abuse, Alzheimer’s disease, a stroke, brain injury, or a psychiatric disorder.
Jim’s mind is healthy but he has an incurable lung disease that stems from his service in the military. He is only in his late fifties, never married and has no children. He cannot work and is solely dependent on veteran benefits for health care. He lives in the NH for permanent care, since he is on oxygen 24/7.
After coming to know Jim during my weekly visits, I learned that he received two Purple Hearts and a bronze Medal of Honor for his service during the Iraq war. That alone, revealed a lot about his character.
For the past two months he has not received his government check, and he doesn’t know why. Since he is physically unable to contact the government department, the business manager of the NH has promised to inquire about it for him and find out why his checks have suddenly stopped. The business manager left messages but no one has called her back. I hope she presses on further to get an answer and help him get his monthly benefits restored.
In the meantime, Jim needed pants, but since he has no spending money, his lady friend who lives down the hall from him, decided to buy him some pants. She asked me to shop for him and later reimbursed me. Jim thanked me for getting him four pairs of sweat pants. Then he said with frustration in his watery eyes,
“I can’t even buy my own pants.”
I offered to lend him some spending money until his checks resume, but he adamantly refused. I told him, “You gave your health and your time serving this country, so let me lend you money” but he refused. I hope the business manager of the NH is able to get his problem solved.
I’m also friends with the lady who bought his pants, who is a pretty outspoken believer in Jesus. She keeps trying to convince Jim to have faith, but he was previously never interested. A few weeks ago, she and I both noticed a change in Jim, as he seemed to have a new respect for the things of God. When I brought some Christian reading materials to hand out to some residents, Jim asked for one.
She and I talked about his new openness and then she told me that she had been praying fervently for Jim. She would love to see him fully embrace Christianity and her prayers seem to be working.
Since Jim is too honorable to accept a loan, I told him I would pray that the finance problem is solved, so that his checks start coming again. He thanked me and said “Please do.”
It is edifying to focus on people who represent something honorable, who inspire our faith in humanity. When we meditate on people and things that are praise worthy, instead of the negativity all around us, we find inner peace. Like many other veterans, Jim did what he did, not for the medals, but for his country and for his fellow soldiers. He has the heart of a hero, and I pray it leads him to become a champion of faith in Jesus Christ.
Lord, help us all to have the hearts of heroes and to become champions of faith in you. Keep us focused on what is honorable, edifying, and on the excellence of people who inspire us. Amen
