In my years of clinical practice, one of the criticisms that have been hurled at me is that I can’t possibly empathize with the families of the children with disabilities whom I see for therapy. That’s because I’ve never had kids. It’s actually true, to a great extent. I only see a patient once or twice a week in the controlled setting of the clinic. On the other hand, the parents and the guardians need to teach them in the real world as they balance all sorts of responsibilities.
Having a great deal of distance from the emotional rollercoaster ride that is raising kids actually gives me a lot of advantages. It gives me the clarity of mind to figure out what needs to be done to help a child achieve his goals without getting bogged down by my feelings. Moreover, it compels me to base my clinical decisions on scientific evidence instead of trying all sorts of quack treatment in the hopes of helping patients “become like other children”. Still, I think I would have more helpful insights into their situations if I had become a parent myself.
He Understands Our Weaknesses
My limitations as an occupational therapist (OT) made me realize all the more how much I need to make the time to talk about my faith in an avenue where my clients wouldn’t feel like I’m imposing my religious views on them. Don’t get me wrong: my clinical work and the empathy that I show my patients is crucial for their improvement. But as a Christian, I will be shortchanging the special needs community (which includes my fellow healthcare workers) if I don’t talk about what Jesus means to me. That’s because no matter how good a therapist or a physician may be, the only One Who perfectly understands what persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their families are going through is Christ Himself.
We often think of Jesus as a great miracle worker because He healed PWDs. But we mostly don’t think of Him as someone Who has serious limitations like a PWD. The truth is that Jesus’ fully human form was quite limited, although He was also fully God while He was on earth. This means that there were many things that He could not do.
When Jesus was a baby, He cried for his mother to nurse Him since He was so helpless, just like how all of us were. He wasn’t born into great worldly privilege. Rather, He was born in a dirty stable where no servants attended to Him. He later on grew up in Nazareth, a mostly unknown poverty-stricken town. Jesus never attended the prestigious theological schools where the Pharisees studied. Instead, His foster father trained Him to work as a carpenter to continue their family trade even if He used to have the riches of Heaven. He couldn’t command armies or overthrow governments. He could not travel the world. He didn’t have the money to buy whatever He wanted. He never dated, got married, or had kids.
More Painful than Disability
But Jesus became most helpless when He carried the cross and was nailed upon it as if He was the vilest criminal on earth even though He never sinned. Through crucifixion, He suffered the greatest physical pain that none of us will ever experience. Worst of all, God the Father, with Whom He enjoyed the closest fellowship, turned away from His Son and crushed Him as punishment for all our sins that were placed upon Him so that His Holiness can become ours.
Jesus endured the greatest physical pain. He was subjected to the worst humiliation that no human being can ever face. He plunged into incredible depths of sorrow that none of us will ever fathom. That’s why He understands what PWDs and their families are going through. Their therapists might lack insight into what’s really happening in their day-to-day lives. Their physicians may be distant from them. But the Lord Jesus is always near. He is a refuge to all who seek Him.
Most of all, Jesus reconciled us to God by bearing the punishment that we deserve for our sins. God is right to send us to hell forever because He cannot tolerate the evil that we do. But because Jesus went through hell for us on the cross, we can now boldly come before God to ask Him to change us for the better and enjoy fellowship with Him. What amazing love is this!
I’ve thought of ending this blog many times. After all, sino pa ba ang nagbabasa ng mahahabang articles? Well, who knows, maybe one day, I will also do videos and livestreams. I even organized my own webinar this year! But because of how I’m wired, writing is the best means through which I articulate truths about the Lord Jesus.
As a health professional, it’s very important that I get to talk about Christ without misusing the therapy sessions for evangelism. I can’t relate to everything that my patients and their families are going through. I don’t always have the wisdom on how to deal with my fellow healthcare workers. But through writing, I can point them to Him Who understands even what they can’t comprehend about themselves. And I know that by God's grace, my efforts will not be in vain!
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