So many have emailed, texted and Facebooked me over the past 12 hours asking for the latest on Blair and Joe. Now that the dust has settled there is nothing to really update. In fact, it will be good news if there are no ‘updates’ on either Blair or Joe over the next week. They will, Lord willing, both progress through their recovery steadily and incrementally.
No news is good news.
Rather than an update, I thought I’d share an insight I had yesterday. Joe gave Blair a new liver and Blair gave Joe the opportunity to discover deep purpose known only to those who give sacrificially. But they both gave me a gift I will treasure for the rest of my life. They each granted me a moment of life-altering clarity.
I arrived early to spend a few prayerful, tender hours with Joe before he was wheeled into the Operating Room. I then went up to the 7th floor to meet up with Blair and spend a few more prayerful, tender hours with Blair before he was wheeled into another Operating Room.
The details of those moments are profoundly personal and, frankly, not mine to share. They belong to Joe and Blair. So I will leave it to them to decide if, how and when they choose to tell that part of their story.
But for me, hugging each man moments before being wheeled through the security doors into the OR, I was given a gift I will never forget.
In Blair I saw myself.
In Joe I saw Jesus.
You see, Blair went into the hospital after 10 years of illness. There was nothing he could do to fix himself. He needed intervention. But how could anyone accept such a gift? What does one say? How does one live after being rescued with such a self-sacrificial gift as Blair received from Joe. The parallels are easy to spot. My soul is sin-sick. I could never fix or save myself. I need an intervening Saviour; one who would sacrifice Himself for me. How shall I respond? Blair gave me the key: abiding humility and deep gratitude.
When I look at Joe I see Jesus. Remember that Joe went to the hospital healthy. He was not looking at an operation that would make him feel better. Rather, he faced a serious surgical procedure with what he was told would be the worst pain he had experienced in his life, followed by months of recovery, and no benefit to him. His only benefit was in helping his friend. Again, the picture is clear. Jesus was not sin-sick. The cup of suffering given to Him brought Him no benefit. He willingly endured it for me.
I will never forget what Blair and Joe gave me, yesterday.
