If You Want To Reach People. . . (Part 2 of 3)

(. . .continued from HERE. . .which you need to read first)

Here's an illustration to sort of show my point. . .

You go to a doctor. You hadn't been in a long time and so you're getting a full evaluation of your health, complete with all kinds of test no one wants to do often. They get all kinds of samples from you. When they're done they ask you to come back in a week and the doctor will discuss with you the result. You're expecting the doctor will make recommendations to your diet, exercise, and that sort of stuff.

You return a week later. You're placed in a small room where the nurse tells you the doctor will be with you shortly. After a brief wait the doctor comes in reviewing what is obviously your file. After staring at your charts for a while he finally acknowledges you by saying, "we've got your results in and we're going to start you on a series of injections next week that are going to save your life. On your way out please make an appointment at the front desk. . .Oh. . .and by the way, you should expect hair loss, rather extreme vomiting, and feeling pretty horrible for the duration of these injections. . .about 90 days worth." Then the doctor leaves to see another patient.

I'm sure you will agree with me that if you ever encounter a doctor like that then you're going to start looking for a new doctor immediately for a second opinion. Instead of feeling like someone has genuinely tried to help you, you feel scared, very confused, and very offended by how you were treated.

Now let's look at the same situation but the doctor approaches thing very differently.

You return a week later. You're placed in a small room where the nurse tells you the doctor will be with you shortly. After a brief wait the doctor comes in reviewing what is obviously your file. He greets you and lets you know that most of what the tests revealed was good, "but in the course of examining your blood they discovered something unusual." He begins using a lot of medical terminology yet he's keeping it simple enough that it still makes sense to those of us not in the medical field. "After more tests we concluded some mutated cells were cancer, but you are extremely fortunate." He then continues to explain how the cancer had been discovered at the earliest stages and if we begin chemo treatments right away the probability of defeating this is extremely high. But he pauses and let you know this is will be a tough process and explains the possible side-effects of chemo and directs you to some information that will help you prepare for the months to come.

What made those two doctors different? The good doctor knew that the bad news had to be explained clearly so that the good news made sense. We who are carriers of the Gospel must do the same. It’s sort of like better “bed-side manners”.

(. . .to be continued. . .)