Do You Want to Get Well?

You realize you are ill. Your stomach is churning, your head is throbbing, your eyes hurt. Your shivering convinces you of your fever. You are weak and lightheaded, and the symptoms persist. By the time you make it to the doctor, you are genuinely concerned -- a concern you see mirrored on his face. But he reassures you, gives you an accurate diagnosis, stuffs a prescription in your hand. You leave his office knowing that your restored health is as simple as following a few instrucitons and being patient with the healing process.

Upon returning home, you put the medication aside. You disregard the instructions to force liquids and get plenty of rest. Not surprisingly, your health fails to improve. If anything, it worsens. At times, this concerns you -- so much so that you take out the medications and the doctor's instructions and spend a few minutes looking at them. Nevertheless, looking at them is as far as it goes.

Now, what's wrong with this picture?

And James wrote: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

© 2005