Give Heed to Character Building

If ever there were those who need to give their character building careful examination, it is our physicians. There has been on the part of many of them a gradual relaxation of piety, of self-control, of purity, of holiness, of watchfulness. An entire change of mind and spirit is needed before they can claim to be acceptable workers....MM 33.1

That man only who daily and hourly lives a Christian life can perform aright the duties of a physician. Let our physicians seek to understand the solemn responsibilities of their profession, and to realize how much is involved in dealing with those who are sick in body and mind. Often the life of the patient is in the hands of the physician. One false movement of the instrument in an operation, and the life would be sacrificed. How solemn the thought!MM 33.2

How important that the physician shall be ever under the control of the divine Physician! Let the one who is trying to prolong life look to Him to direct his every movement. If the physician knows that by his side is One who is life itself, One who can accomplish that which human beings cannot attempt, what confidence this knowledge will inspire! And what a blessing the physician can be in a sickroom if he has learned to trust constantly in Him to whom belong the souls of those to whom he ministers. The Saviour will give him tact and skill in dealing with difficult cases.—Letter 61, 1904.MM 33.3