From my childhood years I was somewhat traumatized by medical professionals! Fortunately with my Dad being a pharmacist, lots of trips to the doctor could be avoided. Growing up our medicine cabinet had a bottle of green medicine – “Novahistine,” for colds; a bottle of red cough syrup for a sore throat; and a bottle of Methiolate to anoint my cuts and scrapes. A specialist we consulted about a condition I had was so forthright in telling us about the proposed surgery that just mentioning going to Charlotte for any reason frightened me because that is where he practiced.

There was no such thing in our medicine cabinet to avoid visits with the dentist! If only I had been better about brushing my teeth, some of the visits to the dentist might have been avoided and most likely more pleasant. Fillings and extractions were not fun things to do, even if you got a coupon for an ice cream cone following the visit. And when I was growing up, it seemed that dentists had to put so many things in your mouth while they were doing their work.

There was only one doctor whose office I eagerly looked forward to visiting and that was Dr. Lipscomb’s. He was my optometrist and as I began wearing glasses in the second grade I had a number of appointments with him. When I got a new pair of glasses, he would work diligently to make certain that they fitted properly … at the bridge of my nose and on the earpieces. He would heat the earpieces, shape them to conform to my ears, touch the earpiece to his cheek to make certain it was not too hot before placing the glasses on me. He was patient and kind. He was considerate and understanding. He was a gentle optometrist!

Throughout the course of my life, I have been blessed to have some gentle medical professionals attend me and I am grateful for them. They have been considerate and have exhibited the qualities we appreciate in a good bedside manner, whether they are attending us while seated in a chair or lying in a bed. Often gentleness is equated with weakness, but it takes great strength to be gentle and it is this quality we see in our Savior Jesus Christ.      

Prayer

O Lord, thank you for helping me to see You exhibit gentleness through strength. Help me to be considerate and gentle as I interact with my family, my friends, my classmates or co-workers, and even strangers today and every day. In the name of Jesus, Friend, so kind and gentle, we pray. Amen.