If you do not like needles, we have something in common.
This week I have been thinking about those big needles they use for blood donations. Each time I sign up for my turn, the anxiousness starts and builds, but I do it anyway. I’m paying it forward.
November 2019 I had inpatient surgery for diverticulitis with a fistula, or “Sigmoid Diverticulectomy (11/15/2019) as it says on my permanent record that will follow me around for the rest of my life. Most over 50 know what that means. If you are under 50, problems with my gut. What made mine more complicated is that my initial diagnosis was missed. Symptoms first started overnight June 5-6, 2018. Urgent care gave me a bogus diagnosis of constipation. By the time we worked through another bogus diagnosis of prostate issues and a urologist from hell, my innards were beyond gross and the bad parts needed to come out. Needed major surgery, two units of blood, and a week in the hospital. That’s what I mean when I say I’m paying it forward – somebody donated for me, now I donate for someone else. That’s not the only reason of course, but I cannot help thinking about it every time I’m next in line for the needle. Thankful for above-average health today.
My first blood donation was in 1985 at my university’s Red Cross blood drive, peer pressure at its finest – thanks Jon! Instead of returning the favor, perhaps “preturning” the favor? Since then my motivation has been cyclical. The organization where I live that coordinates donations and distributions has been keeping track and I’ve finally finished my eighth donation – one gallon!
Lest I give the wrong impression, to be clear I do not do this noble task consistently. Some stretches have years in between, some are more timely. Maybe I have always known this is the right thing to do, but have a higher sense of appreciation for it because I’ve benefitted on the receiving end during a most desperate time?
A challenge for us this coming week
Is there anything you can pay forward? Even if it is buying a friend a cup of coffee, or some random act of kindness. Or dare I say compassion?
Bridging blood donations, compassion, and men’s Bible study
While thinking about blood and paying forward, I am looking at my Men’s Bible Study discussion questions for the upcoming week. From Matthew chapters 9 and 10, observation and application questions include
“What helps foster compassion in you, and what inhibits it?”
“When was the last time compassion drove you to be bold about your faith with another person?”
Seems as if one thing that fosters compassion in me is the concept of paying it forward. A few other examples among many include sacrifices from parents and grandparents, both financial and relationally, loyalty from friends, mercy from Darling Bride, mentorship in my career, counseling and guidance, random acts of kindness, and more.
What inhibits compassion? I like my comfort. I need a compelling reason to leave my comfort zone. How much discomfort I’m willing to endure with respect to compassion? Yes, this is a recurring problem (“known issue” in computer support lingo) and part of my writing is to flesh these problems out and deal with them.
“Being bold in your faith” can be a peculiar thing within Christianity. It is a good expectation, and again dare I say, a good one? It is modeled by Jesus throughout the New Testament, continued by those whom he directly trained to follow after him, and Jesus directs us to make disciples.
Most of my 35 years of following Jesus I’ve been thinking about it incorrectly. My professional training serves me well: includes presenting a discussion in a certain way so that I can logically request a certain outcome. Very helpful when practicing before taxing authorities on behalf of clients. Not so much when trying to make a compelling case for Christ of the Bible.
Where paying it forward and compassion fits in: In a skeptical world with a lot of rhetoric, I am learning to emphasize the Good News part of the discussion. The value proposition of the Gospel is good news indeed – Jesus gave his blood so that those who accept his mercy can live reconciled to him, and we have the privilege as ambassadors to compassionately pay that forward. Counterintuitive to my thought that logical thinking should be persuasive enough.
Not only has Jesus shown mercy that I can pay forward, many good people have proclaimed and illustrated the Good News of Jesus, and paying it forward from a mindset of compassion is better. Pushback will always be there from those who are not interested.
Nobody likes losing an argument, so if we can talk about what is near and dear to us as a gift we have received and want to pass along, I think that can help.
Next blood donation appointment is March 31.
Find a blood donation center near you:
Human capacity to love, both God and others, is possible because God initiates what we call “love.”
Passage to Ponder: “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19