Earlier today I visited the local chemist to pick up some scripts for drugs I’m taking. Pretty normal really. But the conversations I had out on the street, while I was waiting, weren’t! I spoke with four different guys, each of them were smoking, and the conversations went something like this…
Me… Hey mate, there’s a good chance you’ll get lung cancer if you keep smoking.
Him… (Smiles at me and keeps smoking)
Me… It’s true you know
Him… Yeah, I know
Me… I’ve got lung cancer and I can tell you it’s not much fun
Him… Yeah?
Me… You don’t know whether to believe me, do you?
Him… (Shrugs)
Me… It’s true. You want to see my scars?
Him… (Shrugs)
Me… (I lift up my shirt on the left side to reveal 3 rather ugly scars around my ribs) They had to stick tubes in me to drain out all the litres of fluid from round my lungs. You know, it’s a good idea to give up.
Him… Yeah, I know.
Me… I know it’s hard, but you should try. Start now, it’s worth it.
Him… Did you give up smoking?
Me… Mate, I didn’t smoke and I still got lung cancer!
Him… Yeah?! Have you got rid of it?
Me… Mate, I might never get rid of it. They can’t cut it out, and I’ve got to keep on chemo.
Him… Yeah?!
Me… So give it a shot, eh? It’s worth trying to give up now.
Him… Yeah, thanks mate. And hey, good luck eh!
Then, back in the chemist, picking up my scripts, I say “I understand you guys help people to quit smoking.” To which the pharmacist replies, “Yeah, that’s right.” And I say, “Well, there’s three guys outside smoking right now. You could help them!”
macarisms 
Good on you Dave – I hope those guys take some notice!
& thanks for the review of ‘Holding on to Hope’ it is a great book.
Thanks Macca. Reminds me of Luke 16:30-31 – The rich man (in hell): “… if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Abraham said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” Another reminder of the immense hold our slavery has over us and the depth of our blindness. Thank God he shines in our hearts with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ; thank God that he breaks the power of sin and gives us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus.
Yes, I changed the title of this post from ‘Smokers beware!’ to ‘Smoking – because I care!’, because I do!
This is a great anti-smoking campaign from Thailand.
Good on you! Well done. Praying for you.
Hi Dave. We don’t know each other, but we do have friends in common who have pointed me and Suse, my wife, in the direction of your blog. It’s fantastic, and I’m sure it’s an enormous blessing to many people. I hope it is to you also.
I work as a respiratory specialist, and we have a blog on our website which some of our patients – and colleagues follow. I hope you won’t mind if I use that platform to point some of our people towards your work. Please let me know if you do mind. God be with you. Andrew
Hi Andrew,
Go for your life!