Wednesday

Why Taking the Wrong Medicine Can Kill You



My husband had been taking the medicine three times a day for three days, but he wasn’t getting any better. In fact, his symptoms seemed to worsen with every cough. The two-day sick leave the doctor granted had ended, and as he dressed for work, coughing spells left him breathless.

“I’d better pack your antibiotic with your lunch,” I said, remembering he would need to take it at midday. As I shook the pill into my hand, I looked at it suspiciously.

“This doesn’t look like any antibiotic I’ve ever seen,” I commented. Checking the label, I didn’t recognize its four-syllable long generic name. As I squinted to read the pale print that listed its name-brand equivalent, I identified it immediately. 

And it was NOT an antibiotic. 

It was a cough suppressant.

For three days my husband had been taking the WRONG medicine. Instead of taking a medication formulated to kill the germs infecting his chest and sinus cavity, he’d been dutifully swallowing a medicine that, at best, could only minimize his symptoms.

In all sincerity, he had taken something that made him feel slightly better in the short term, but ultimately left him sicker than before.

A phone call to the nurse revealed the problem. The doctor had indeed prescribed an antibiotic, along with a decongestant, and a cough suppressant. The pharmacy, however, had filled only  two of the three prescriptions, somehow missing the most important one—the one with the power to cure my husband’s illness.

Many people are like my husband. They are sick. Spiritually sick, that is. They sincerely dose themselves with what they think has the ability to cure them. Some try alcohol, some sex, some drugs. Others religiously swallow doses of charitable giving, volunteer hours, or church attendance. Although they sincerely believe their acts will cure them of emptiness, loneliness, fear, or guilt, the longer they continue taking the wrong medicine, the sicker they become.

There is only one cure for the sin sickness that plagues humanity—a relationship with Jesus Christ. And only God, the Great Physician, can prescribe the correct medicine to our dying friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

Amazingly, we can be  part of the cure. We can share the story of our own spiritual sickness. We can testify how Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals, cured us.  We can introduce them to the Great Physician, and he can make them well.

Do you know someone who is sick today? Ask God to give you the courage to share “the reason for the hope that lies within you” (1 Peter 3:15).



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6 comments:

  1. Wow, thankful your husband got the right medication, albeit belatedly. Great analogy! (Glad you got your plastic bags in order, pride in tact!) Lisa from True Hope and a Future.

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  2. What a great analogy! Visiting from Thrive at Home. Thanks for sharing this thought today.

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  3. A powerful story with a very true message. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. A great message to share with the Thrive @ Home community! Thanks for linking up!

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  5. Beautiful post. So true Jesus is the best medicine, nothing else can take His place!Thank you so much for linking up at Leaving a Legacy. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

    Blessings~
    Shari

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  6. Anonymous5:08 AM

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