Open Letter to ImpQueen

Dear Her Majesty:

I am touched by your blog of April 26, 2005. Further, it is good to be a "big ol' baby" when it comes to the suffering of others.

H.D. is like one of the three old witches of Greek mythology that shared one eye. Sometimes, I am blind to the suffering around me; but at other times I have for a few minutes the "eye of God" and see perfectly well. I believe that from time to time God lets me see as He sees if only for an instance.

We live in a world where physical beauty and youth are idolized. But quite frankly most of us are neither young nor beautiful. Our advertising media however, paints a picture where people are not overweight, have complexion problems or other personal problems. People spend untold funds and experience agony after agony to measure up to physical standards that are held up to them by the "gods of this world."

But some of us see life more realistically. Nurses see life as it really is. They see the physical problems and the pain. So do pastors, social workers and many others.

Some people are gifted to deal in kindness and compassion with other people who hurt . This is one of the real gifts of God. So when you deal with these people, you deal with them as God would. You participate in a working out of your own redemption and their redemption, knowing that the entire process is generated by the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

The cross of Jesus is an offense to the world. There is a song called "The Old Rugged Cross." Well, the cross is old and rugged. So are some of the people you deal with. Our faith is centered about suffering, death and resurrection. Your profession as a nurse, causes you to see the suffering and death. But it is NOT over with suffering and death. Our Hope is the Resurrection. Jesus , in fact, said "I am the Resurrection and the Life."

So Your Majesty, the ImpQueen, I believe that when you did what you did and you cared for the individuals and the hurts of the individual, the arms you put around them were not just your arms -but they were the very arms of Christ.

The actions you took were exactly the same as Mother Teresa washing the bodies of dying beggars in India or St. Francis washing the feet of a leper. (These are pictures not glorified by advertising, movies or television.) It is the Ministry of Jesus Christ-the real ministry of Christ in us doing what Christ always did and still does. As the Bible says: "When you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." So not only is Christ acting through you in expressing His love and compassion but they are done as worship and service to Christ. When you embrace the hurting, you embrace Christ.

So, ImpQueen, it is good to be a "big ol' baby". These are holy actions and you stood on holy ground when you felt that way.

ImpQueen, I believe that I have , for the moment, the eye of God on this.

H.D.