deal with problems when they are small!

The summer of 2025 was a challenging one for me.  In June I was discovered to have a melanoma on my left forearm.  While it had been my "medical discipline" to see a dermatologist once each year, several years ago my dermatologist retired and somehow I "fell through the cracks" in making an appointment with a new doctor.  I really didn't give it much thought until a friend, in our church small group, was diagnosed with a cancer on his face.  Fortunately they were able to remove it quickly and completely; but my friend's experience was a wake up call. I hadn't seen the skin doctor in three years and I had several places on my arms and face that I wondered about.  So I got a referral for a new dermatologist from my Primary Care Physician and scheduled the first available appointment.  Interestingly, when the doctor examined me, I was told that all of the places I was concerned about were nothing to worry about.  But then he came to my left arm.  Immediately the doctor was concerned.  Skin issues on my left arm were not even "on my radar" but he told me to lay down and that he was going to numb my arm and take a biopsy.  About 8 days later he called to tell me it was a melanoma and that he was referring me to a surgeon - I needed immediate attention.  Two weeks later I was having semi-major surgery to remove the melanoma, do a skin graft, and surgically biopsy lymph nodes.  I am very fortunate, and thrilled to report, that they were able to remove all of the melanoma from my arm and the lymph nodes were completely clear - they had caught it before it spread.  But from this experience I knew that this melanoma would have been much more easily dealt with if It had been discovered when it first began.   I was reminded of a valuable life lesson:  Deal With Problems While They Are Still Small!

It is much easier to deal with problems when they are small.  I know this is only common sense, but it is common sense that applies to almost every area of our life:  

Physically -  Had they caught the problematic skin cells at an early stage (preferably the "pre-cancerous stage") most likely no surgery would have been required.  Even if it had become cancerous, the surgery for when it was small would have been much less invasive than what I had to experience (I will spare you the picture of the rather large whole in my arm that will take up to a year to fully heal.)  Treating physical ailments in their early stages can often save us tremendous discomfort and expense.  My daughter Beth had a similar experience several years ago.  Our trusted dentist retired and we were neglectful in finding another dentist immediately.  As a result, Beth went for over a year without her regular "check ups" and when we finally got her in to see a new dentist he discovered she had several cavities and the treatment was quite expensive.  Dealing with problems when they are small just makes sense.

Relationally - As a Family Therapist I can't begin to tell you how many times I wished that couples had come to see me a year before they actually made an appointment.  Too often the first appointment is not made until the couple is on the edge of a divorce.  What began as a gradual sense of "growing apart" or "harboring resentments" for rather small offenses, has now grown into affairs, separations, and deep wounds.  While many marriages in distress can be saved, not all can.  Sometimes couples just give up.  But I'm convinced that many of these relationships could have been "turned around" had the couple came to see me when the problem was still small.

Behaviors - Most children don't become outright rebellious overnight.  Usually there are attitudes of disrespect that emerge and if left "unchecked" begin to grow.  The same can be said of many addictions; at first there is just a curiosity, then develops something of a habit, but eventually it grows into an addition that takes on a life of it's own.  Both full blown attitudes of rebellion and entrenched addictions become a challenge to treat.  The good news is that by the Grace of God both behaviors and attitudes can be changed - but they are more easily changed if dealt with when the are still small.

Spiritually - Then there is the area of our spiritual life.  How easy it is to slip into a lifestyle of neglecting God.  Times of devotion are skipped.  Regular worship attendance is neglected.  Prayer time with God becomes less and less.  Before long, we found ourselves distant from the God who loves us and desires a relationship with us.  How much easier it would be to get "back on track" if we would quickly confess our practice of spiritual neglect and fully reconnect with God.

There is nothing really profound in what I share - but failure to head the lesson can certainly be profound.  It just makes sense:  Deal With Problems While They Are Still Small!