Please bear with me as I segue from my usual direct style of communication into a moment of emotional epiphany. I hope that sharing this discovery with you will encourage you to not take for granted the gift of life that God has granted you today.

Every so often we encounter situations in life that cause us to look deep within ourselves and weigh out our current perception of what we feel to be the issue of utmost importance at the time. In some circles this is referred to as a “gut check.” It helps us get a grip on our priorities, and most of the time forces us to adjust them.

This week I have been delivered the task of shuttling my wife back and forth to the hospital for twice-a-day physical therapy. It was not a responsibility that I looked forward to, but nonetheless necessary if I wanted to help her recover from a recent injury.

I began the week with more than a little concern over the rising price of gas and the plummeting value of my IRA. How would we adjust our budget, and what would we have to do without to compensate for the current economic inflation? Unbeknownst to me, I would soon receive a gift that would take all of the focus off of myself and release me into a new level of praise and thanksgiving.

While waiting for my wife to receive her treatments I strategically positioned myself on a bench near the hospital entrance armed with a book and some time. I love to people-watch, but this time would be different. One by one, a seemingly endless line of people made their way to the double glass doors of the building that would contain their last vestige of hope for situations that they did not ask for nor wish to keep. If given an alternative, I would bet that none of them would have chosen this path as something that the wanted to do that day.

Mothers pushing children in wheel-chairs, old men and women helping each other out of the car, and still others, hooked up to tubes and oxygen tanks. I was overcome with conviction and mercy as I repented for my selfishness. A “check in the gut” will quickly bring us back to reality and do wonders for our perspective by helping us to see beyond ourselves.

Take the time to say two prayers today: One of thanksgiving for all that you have, and another for someone else who is struggling, in pain, and facing a situation that looks hopeless. I would hope that someone would do the same for me.

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