One day you’re listening to the radio and you hear about a small village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, of a flu that has never been seen before. 3 or 4 people are dead, and they’re sending some doctors over to investigate it.
You don’t think much about it, but a few days later, you hear another radio spot about this mysterious flu. Only now it’s not 3 villagers who are dead, but 30,000. People are fleeing from this disease. By Monday morning, it’s the lead story.
And it’s not just India, it’s Pakistan, and they say this “mystery flu” is spreading further. The President says that he and everyone are praying and hoping that things will improve. But everyone’s wondering how they’re going to contain it. That’s when the President of France makes an announcement that shocks Europe. He is closing their borders. No flights from India, Pakistan or anywhere affected by this disease will be allowed into the country.
That night you are watching CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits your chest when you hear that a man is lying in a Paris hospital dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe. Panic strikes. So far, no one has survived this disease. Britain closes it’s borders, but it’s too late. The disease has hit Southampton and it’s spreading.
On Tuesday morning the President of the United States makes the announcement that all flights from Europe and Asia have been cancelled. No one from the affected countries can enter the USA until they’ve found a cure. Instantly the nation is plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are dreading it hitting the USA.
It’s Wednesday night when the announcement is made. 2 women in Long Island are dying from the disease. Within days it sweeps across the country. People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working. And then all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken! A cure has been found. A vaccine can be made. All they need is some blood from somebody who hasn’t been infected, and so everyone is asked to do one simple thing, go to your hospital and have your blood type taken.
It’s late that night when you and your family arrive at the hospital, and there’s already a line of people stretching far down the street. Nurses and doctors are poking fingers and taking blood and putting labels on it. Eventually, they take you, your wife and kid’s blood type and ask you to wait there until they call your name, then you can go home. So you sit down and wait. Suddenly a man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. And your son tugs on your jacket and says, “Daddy, that’s me.”
Before you know it, they’ve grabbed your boy. They think his blood is the right type. 5 tense minutes later, an old doctor walks up to you and says, “Your son’s blood type is perfect.” It’s clean, it is pure and we can make the vaccine. As the word begins to spread down the line, people are screaming and laughing and crying. The doctor pulls you and your wife aside and says, “We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we need you to sign a consent form.” You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. “H-h-h-how many pints?” you ask. And that is when the old doctor’s smile fades. “We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren’t prepared. We need it all!”
“But… you don’t understand. He’s my only son!”
“We are talking about the world here. Please sign.”
“But can’t you give him a transfusion?”
“If we had clean blood we would. Please, will you please sign?”
In numb silence, you sign. He asks if you’d like a moment with him. Could you walk back to that room where he’s saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?” Could you take his hands and say, “Son, your mommy and I love you and we would never let anything happen to you that didn’t just have to be.” And when that old doctor comes back in and says, “I’m sorry, we’ve got to get started. People all over the world are dying.” Could you leave? Could you walk out while he is saying, “Dad? Mom? Why…why have you forsaken me?”
Next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, some people sleep through it, and some people don’t even bother to come because they have better things to do. Some people come with a pretentious smile and just pretend to care. Would you want to jump up and say, “EXCUSE ME MY SON DIED FOR YOU! DON`T YOU EVEN CARE? DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?”
Maybe God wants to say that too! “MY SON DIED FOR YOU! DOES IT MEAN NOTHING? DON`T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?”
Father, seeing it from your eyes should break our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us. So that’s the gospel in a nutshell! Now you can either spread it…or ignore it. I hope this touched your heart as much as it touched mine. If not, hopefully it will give you something to think about. One Love.
In My Own Words... 