Patch Adams

Hunter Adams (or Patch) as he is known to friends and patients has one passion: to be a doctor and help people. However, his unorthodox methods and “excessive happiness” doesn’t fly too well with fellow students and superiors, in particular the dean.

While Patch reach out and make a difference wherever he can he expands in knowledge, compassion and experience, but just as much some of those who at first couldn’t stand him. In the end they’ve each had a profound impact on each other’s lives.

But even this funny man encounters his share of tragedy and heartache along his journey. He’s passionate, he has vision and he’s doing it, but everything isn’t just smooth sailing. At one time even he reaches a point of giving up – “what’s the use?” “I should have known better.” “It is all my fault.” At his lowest point he even confronts God , angry and hurting over his loss, struggling to accept his new reality. But in the midst of it all God reaches out and touches His heart with compassion, with a gesture that screams “I SEE YOU!” when he needs it the most. That one moment gives him the courage to go on, face a few more challenges and finally rise up as the victor!

In one moment on the edge of a cliff he is faced with a crucial decision: will he jump or will he live? He makes a decision that has never stopped affecting the medical profession since – even to this day! He did not give up. God did not give up on Him!

Trying new things, following a dream, stepping out on a limb in faith takes tremendous courage and can cause you to feel very alone, often in your darkest moments.

I think of people like Moses whom God ‘recruited’ to lead hundreds of thousands of complaining Isrealites in the desert. Imagine what Joshua must have felt like taking over from Moses after 40 years. I think of the prophets who had to deliver God’s message, especially when it was not good news. I think of Joseph who dreamt such awesome dreams and then landed in the pit, slavery and prison before the palace. I think of Daniel who got thrown in the lion’s den for following his faith and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were thrown in the fiery furnace for not bowing down to idols. And then there’s Jesus. How many times did they threaten to kill him, accuse him falsely, finally betrayed and then tortured and crucified – an innocent man dying for the sin of the world.

When I read their stories I admire their adventure, their victory, their courage, their legacy but not their suffering. That part could never have been easy, but these men have a few things in common:

1.       To each one God said that He would never leave them – and He didn’t!

2.       Each one of them had to face the challenge to get to the other side – no other way.

3.      Each of them made mistakes and failed along the way, had to get up, dust off and carried on. Jesus didn’t make mistakes, but even He said, “Father, if you are willing, please take away this cup of horror from me.” He didn’t say, “Yayyy!! I’m going to die! Kill me! Kill me!” He felt such agony in the garden that he broke into a sweat of blood but he fell to the ground and just prayed more and more earnestly – desperate.

4.       Each one wasn’t sure if they could do it.

These extraordinary people were not super humans and no one else could ever measure up. They were ordinary men with an extraordinary attitude of heart to trust God and to keep going. Their willingness to obey was the key ingredient for God to do extraordinary things in and through them!

God sees us and knows about everything that we go through. He knows that it is not easy all the time – He never said it would be – but in the dark moments He is there, just like He promised and He sees us through.

I don't know of one success story that doesn't have the challenges and the hardships. If we want the success then we also have to have the courage to trust God to do what He promised and believe that He will complete the work that He had begun! When you find yourself in the dark, remember what God told you in the light!