Today’s Catch comes by way of a story sent in by one of our members as told by an ER nurse.
It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00.
I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.
On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.
I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years.
I was surprised, and asked him, “And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?”
He smiled as he patted my hand and said, “She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is.”
Two things strike me about this story:
Don’t you know this is how God loves us — every last one of us? We are so whacked in the head that we can look right at Him half the time and not even recognize Him. But He knows who we are. He knows what we need. And He sits with us and listens to our incoherent ramblings and loves every minute of it.
This is also how we love those in the world who don’t yet know Christ. We sit with them and listen. In every human being there is a trace of God, be it His image or His mark on their soul, and even though they might not see it, we do. They might not recognize us, but we see them as who they are — a child of God. So we too can put up with anything — anybody — and love every minute of it.
John Fischer The Catch 
Hey John,
Great post today. It was just what I needed to hear.
My half-sister is severely developmentally disabled as a result of fetal alcohol sydrome. She is 44 this year and she has been in group homes since she was 3 and she hasn’t spoken a word her entire life. I have struggled to find some way of including her in my life. At times, she has been more and less difficult to take care of and easy to forget. I fall into periods of years when I don’t see her at all. Yesterday I visited her and again found myself wondering if she even knows who I am. This post reminds me that whether she knows me or not isn’t really the important issue.
Thanks for the reminder.
Thx Pastor John 4 today’s Catch, I needed it and it will help me treat others well today…
SAD! Reminds me of visiting my mother in her final year of life where she did not remember us at all!
So sorry to learn about your loss of your Mother, KaTH. can i plz make a suggestion, which comes from Dr. Phil why remember or let anything remind you of the “final year” of her life – try to remember and the fun, joy filled and loving times… 🙂
I needed this today
1-just want to point out a “little” mistake: Those in the world who don’t yet know Christ… are not Children of God according to Gospel of John chapter 3. Those who don’t believe in Him will go to hell ccording to Gospel of John chapter 3, Children of God don’t go there, what do you think? They are His creation instead, we all are, some of us become His Children, How? Read Gospel of John chapter 3
2-In every human being there is a trace of God… that’s true, I totally agree, the Maker always signs His works
Anyway our duty is to Love everyone, but we most tell them (the unbelievers) they are zombies because we love them and want them to be saved
It doesn’t make any difference. We treat everyone the same because we don’t know who is in the process of being saved and who is perishing. It’s out of our hands completely.
John,
I haven’t seen you in years and my name has been updated by marriage, but I’m still Dale Annis’s daughter and I stumbled on your blog today while trying to find your lyrics for Vanguard… which I have now listened to about six times in a row because you may as well have written it about my best friend. It is blessing my heart every time. And so is this blog! I particularly liked this post. What a profound sweetness of the Lord to give us all this story and this truth tucked into it. Thank you for writing it. Blessings on you and your family!
Jessie Erickson
Great to talk with you the other day. Let’s keep in touch.