When I was a resident, we were required to review all of our cases with our attending professor before we rendered a diagnosis. In a busy hospital, this was sometimes challenging as the professors were pulled in many different directions, all with urgent requests from other physicians. Thus, I employed a tactic to encourage my professor to review my case. I would place a note on her door with the inscription, “Dr. Smith, I’ve got a GREAT case to show you!” This would be done even if the case was NOT such a great case. It was an exaggeration, just to encourage her to meet with me.
Inevitably, my professor would review the case with me and issue a final diagnosis which I would then promptly communicate with the other physicians caring for the patient. I continued this pattern throughout my residency training.
Many years later, I was reminiscing with some friends from the hospital when one of them said to me, “You know, Dr. Smith, once confided in us. ‘I like Dr. Shitabata but sometimes the cases he wanted to review with me were not so interesting! But he would always tell me they were great! I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by telling him the cases weren’t that great!’ “
My exaggeration was meant to manipulate. The Bible also records examples of people who exaggerate to manipulate their circumstances to their advantage. Few were as egregious and self-serving as Aaron’s explanation to his brother, Moses.
And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off. ’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
Exodus 32:24
The Hebrews were afraid that Moses, their leader, would not return from the mountain top after being away for a prolonged period. Aaron directed the people to contribute their gold and he fashioned it into an idolatrous golden calf to represent their new god. But when confronted by Moses, Aaron exaggerated and lied, stating that he simply cast the gold into the fire and a golden calf emerged. Just like that!
I meant to manipulate a situation by exaggerating. Sometimes, I did have a great case but with other times, I was definitely not speaking the truth and lying. It may seem like I am beating myself up over a trivial matter. This was certainly not as an egregious incident as Aaron. Yet, God does hold us accountable for every idle word that we speak (Matthew 12:36).
God holds us to a much higher standard than the rest of the world. And by my own efforts, it is impossible for me to live up these standards by my own efforts. But if I confess my sins to Jesus Christ and repent and ask Him to be my Lord and Savior, He is faithful and just to forgive me and accept me as a child of God.
We are held to the highest standards and by God’s grace, through His Son, Jesus Christ, we can begin living that life.
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
