joyancejames

Category: residency

  • The best policy

    “Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school, teacher, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat.” This comes from the famous letter of Abraham Lincoln to his son’s teacher. Whether he actually wrote it or not is debatable but this letter withstood the changes in times and seasons and still inspires and speaks wisdom to us centuries after it was inked.

    I was probably 13 years old, when I first came face to face with the rampant corruption prevalent amongst my peers; it came as a rude shock to my protected upbringing. It was my final, end of the year exam in Sanskrit (a torture I wouldn’t even curse my worst nemesis with, it befuddled me as much as it did my class mates, I’d prefer being schooled in Koine Greek than punish my grey matter with this), I was staring at an unfinished paper and a teacher walked up to me with an answer sheet of a good student. The well meaning teacher wanted to help a hapless student (read professional courtesy, since my mummy was the high school English teacher in the same school) but little did he know that his offer of corruption of the young mind would be turned down.

    I’ve come a long way since the day I first refused to cheat in the exam. My resolve to maintain my integrity became stronger over the years. Refusing to help and be helped in the exams hasn’t come without it’s complications, I’ve lost a few friends in the moment of truth only to regain them later, I’ve been labeled tags people make for those who stand out in the crowd.

    People tend to associate corruption with those in power especially politicians and their kind, but what about the seemingly innocuous corruption such as this! I’m a strong proponent of the belief that corruption begins at home. The impressionable young minds are exposed to the duplicity in the lifestyles of their parents, small, seemingly harmless lies to avoid phone calls, half truths to get a leave from work and so on. These little compromises are readily accepted as a way of life, in school this gives way to copying in exams and proxy attendance. Who is to say what compromise will be deemed small and harmless in adulthood!

    It is the tiny, little pebbles inside your shoes rather than a rent in the sole of your walking shoes that will cause you the greatest discomfort. In life too these small compromises which initially are passed on as acceptable later give rise to major compromises leading to a life in the grey zone as a result of thinning of the veil between the right and wrong. Israel’s wisest king had some wisdom to pass down on honesty and integrity; in the book of Proverbs he wrote: “honesty will keep you safe, but everyone who is crooked will suddenly fall”, “honesty guides the good people; dishonesty destroys the treacherous people”, “God cares about honesty in your workplace; your business is his business”.

    I was never in the top of my class, neither in my school days nor in my undergraduate college days, but my unprecedented high score in my MS Orthopaedics final exams is a testament to the fact that God honors those who walk in integrity.

    Its very easy to be just a mediocre and get drowned in the crowd, but only those who stand up against the wave rise up above the rest.

    The best policy-honesty!honesty

  • An ode to the resident/intern

    “Will you bring to Him that which didn’t cost you dear? Tis not a sacrifice that which cost you nothing”- Joyance Shalom James. There will be days which will be tough and nights which may be tougher. You may have to labor through the day and then watchman through the night. But remember that He who began the good work in you will bring it to completion for His glory, though the process is painful the end product is a vessel of honor for His glory.You may miss your bed and skip a meal or two, but remember this is your calling and He qualifies the called and not vice versa! At times you may feel at the end of your rope but remember with less of you there is more for God and His rule.You may work with tough-to-handle people but remember that he’s making a tougher you. Respect authority cause it’s God who’s kept them there. If He can toy with a Pharaoh’s heart for His glory then He can certainly use someone in your life for His purpose. The ship which has never braved a storm is the one which has never left the harbor.Be humble cause He gives grace to the humble and pride goes before the fall.Seek Him first, put Him before all else and all things shall be added unto you. Pray continually as you strive to be His hands and feet to the least of these. Wear your smile as you cloth yourselves with Christ, God loves your smile and they’ll love it too.May they see your Maker in you.God bless.