Alice was an elderly lady in the hospital whom I also knew from outside of the hospital. She was very active in her church and spent many years serving. Her husband was very sick and could not visit, and her other family members were delayed in coming.
It was Christmas time. The hospital staff dropped off the Christmas meal without much comment, as I was in the room when it was served. Alice was physically unable to eat the meal by herself.
We continued with a Christmas devotion and prayer. Alice expressed her faith in the baby Jesus as having been born to become her Savior and dying upon the cross for all of her sins. The Christmas cards on her table encouraged her to celebrate the saving love of Jesus.
After the devotion, I noticed that the hospital staff was not going to help Alice eat her Christmas meal. With her permission, I spoon-fed her the meal supplied. We also talked about the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Martha was busy trying to supply the meal, and Mary was listening to Jesus’ message. We laughed at how similar that story was to what was happening in the hospital. The staff was busy serving her meal taking care of her physical needs, while we listened to Jesus’ comforting words, which supplied our spiritual needs. She now had food for her body and soul. Her Christmas dinner was complete.
She smiled with comfort and joy. I also smiled, because I was thankful for the opportunity to share some bright spiritual treats with her Christmas dinner.