“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18
This verse triggers a wave of joy in me every single time that I read it and this morning, I can’t help but smile as I share this story.
I was fresh into recognizing that my job as a nurse was not an obligation, but rather a beautiful opportunity for the Lord when I met who we will call Faith. Faith was a beautiful woman inside and out. Her presence was radiant, her joy contagious, and her attitude incredible. The number of people by her bedside at any given time was surely just a glimpse of the lives that had been touched by this special woman, mine included.
I met Faith in the very first days of her hospital stay. First days in the hospital always become quite busy as the medical team tries to pinpoint the underlying problem. Tests were being run, doctors were in and out of the room, and Faith even underwent a procedure or two, yet something about her demeanor struck me. In a time when she easily could have been scared or sad or even angry, she was glowing and peaceful. She was smiling.
Throughout the next few days, the busy pace slowed and eventually nearly came to a halt. We were awaiting biopsy results to guide the next steps in her care. It was in this time, the days of waiting, that I had the opportunity to truly get to know Faith and her family. She begin to share stories from different stages of her life and her surrounding family chimed in with stories of their own. Faith talked about her relationship with the Lord and the way that He had guided her path. They even began to ask me about my life, making me feel like one of their own. Each morning, Faith would be my first stop of the day and at the end of the shift, I would say goodnight before clocking out. Even to this day in my nursing career, I have never heard anything comparable to the roars of laughter that came from her room.
One morning that week I came across Proverbs 4:18 during my quiet time before work. Upon reading it I immediately thought of Faith, so I quickly jotted it down on a sticky note to give to her and headed into work. Faith was like the morning sun. I had witnessed it. Even in the midst of a trial, in the midst of waiting, she seemed to shine more brightly day after day. Even when her condition worsened, she shined brighter yet. Even in the times when my workday was stressful, it was in her presence that I felt uplifted. And I can tell you today that in the days, weeks, and months that were ahead Faith’s light never faded, it only grew brighter.
After days of waiting, a team of oncology doctors came to Faith’s bedside. The results were finally in. Faith asked me to stay in the room, so I found a spot where I would not be in the way of the team nor her family. The doctors took their time in explaining Faith’s prognosis to the room. She had advanced cancer and there was no treatment for it. Chemotherapy and radiation would only prolong her life if anything, not save it. When the conversation came to an end the doctors stepped out of the room, instructing Faith to let her nurse know when she came to a decision; treatment or no treatment. Before I had the chance to follow the doctors out of the room, Faith looked straight at me and said, “Well, that’s not so bad!”
I couldn’t help but to smile and let out a little laugh as I looked at Faith through my tear-glossed eyes. Every part of me wanted to ask her if she had heard what the doctors had just said. Perhaps she missed the part about there being no cure. Maybe she didn’t understand the poor prognosis. But I knew that Faith had heard every word that the doctors had said and I knew that she understood exactly what that meant for her.
“Well, that’s not so bad.” Only Faith. Only she could stare in the eyes of a terminal prognosis and say those words with a smile on her face. Everyone else in that room was tearful and internally I am sure that we shared the same sadness, but somehow Faith brought joy and peace into a difficult situation. Faith shined brighter.
Less than a year later, Faith went to be with the Lord. When I received the message that hospice had been called, the internal sadness that I had experienced at her bedside was present and my tears returned in floods, but you know what else came with that message? Joy and peace. Faith was going to be with Jesus. Her work on this side of heaven had come to an end and she was now going to dwell in the presence of her Lord and Savior for eternity.
I told God how lucky He was to be getting her and how greatly missed she would be here on earth as I imagined the joyful celebration that would be taking place in heaven.
I only knew Faith for what seemed like a moment, but one thing was evident: Faith shined bright. Although Faith is no longer here, she continues to challenge me every day. Paul tells his followers to imitate him as he imitates Christ. Well, I strive to imitate Faith as she imitated Christ. I strive to remain positive in the trials, to carry a contagious joy, and to radiate the light of Christ simply in my way of being. I strive to shine brighter every day no matter what comes my way.
Proverbs 4:18 remains as Faith’s verse in my life and because of that, many patients have left the hospital with sticky notes that read,
“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18
Let us be like Faith today.
Thank you, Faith, for the unending impact that you have had on my life. I cannot wait to join your party in heaven someday.
You are missed dearly, loved immensely and your light shines on today.
