In the church world culture, its easy to say all the right things. We can spout off our DNA, what we do the right buzz words like 'tribe' 'engagement' or even 'servant leader' but I think, knowing that we all are in personal relationship with Jesus we need to take a good introspect look at our lives and see do we really mean those things. Are we intentional with making people feel like they are a part, or are we more concerned with our position at the top of the rung? Are we concerned about are others engaged with us or are we interested in picking apart those who don't get it. And are we in our everyday lives exampling 'servant leader' or are we trying to manipulate, bully, demean our out maneuver someone to get our way. When I have been faced with this question I have to be very honest with people. "I have learned politics in church but I have learned to serve being a nurse." Please do not mistake me I love the local church, love everything about it, but I think we put too much emphasis on building kingdoms and not enough on serving each other. Jesus said "those among you who are the least shall be among the first." it is no wonder that nursing is looked upon as one of the most trusted professions. Why? Because we are less than, and we know it.
Do you operate behind closed doors?
All of what I do as a nurse happens behind a closed door. We as a family don't talk about my job, there are very few times I have come home and discussed anything about my day. I normally say "I was busy" or "It was a bad day." or "It was a great day" but due to HIPPA, and honestly the nature of what I deal with no one wants to hear about the wounds, tubes, ostomies, urine, feces, tears, blood, sweat, and any other sort of body fluid I have touched in my day as a nurse. This is my less than, no one is cheering behind me going "You did a great job today!" normally we are all just going "we survived today!" where I work we do total care on our patients. I lift, move, position, feed, medicate, and talk to five to seven patients a day for 12 hours a day. If you are going to be less than you are going to have to learn to do things behind closed doors, and not run at the first sign yuck.
As Christ followers we want others to notice our efforts but I have never in my life looked at a sick patient and said "Do you not realize everything I am doing for you! Seriously!!! You need to thank me for all my hard work!!" We as Christ followers think taking someone out to lunch one time and connecting with them earns us a gold sticker. For me as a nurse that is the equivalent of answering a call light. You didn't do anything but give them a few minutes of your time. Then you wonder why they just don't thank you, don't they know how busy you are? Don't they know they should be cheering you on? Seriously why can't these people just understand you? Now imagine me asking one of my cancer patients that? Sounds pretty silly but that is what we do as Christians, we want to get the praise in the open but we are very hesitant to close the door and get near any one's spiritual body fluids. Its what we do when no one sees it that makes us, not what we do or say in the light of everyone around us.
A disease isn't a person
Being a nurse is a thankless job and one that requires you to see the person past the sickness. There is no other way around it. I have been called every name in the book, I have been hit, kicked, spit on, chewed out, lied about, complained about, I have had stuff thrown at me, all while trying to keep that patient safe. The elderly can get a urinary tract infection and they can go from being a cute little old lady to a nasty mean witch with a hard right hook. They don't understand they need to keep the IV in so they can get re hydrated, and they need to get the Antibiotic therapy. One night I can spend the whole night in the room trying to keep her from falling as she calls me every name under heaven and the next day she could be talking to me about her grandchildren, her church group, and completely in her right mind. This is the nature of the disease, and I have learned that the disease isn't a person. I don't go in the next day and tell her how horrible she was when she was sick, I rejoice that the disease isn't messing with her mind and she is back to who she is. As Christians do we label someone due to whatever they might be currently fighting? A disease isn't a person and brokenness isn't who someone is, its a disease they are dealing with. I have learned to not take things personally and gain some thick skin, stand and make sure someone doesn't hurt themselves, or someone else. In the same way that there are physical illnesses and mental illnesses there are also spiritual illnesses that people don't know how to heal. Only the great physician, who is Jesus can give them what they need. Do you see people past their struggles, or are you quick to label them to protect yourself? Because its easy to state the obvious of a disease, but its harder to walk into the room, close the door, and serve where there is a need. This is what serving means, you plant where you may never see a harvest.
Friends I hope you hear my heart in this, I believe we serve the greatest physician, and I think its time we start following his orders. I see being a christian as being a nurse doing much behind closed doors, not expecting to hear praise from my patients, and seeing a person behind a disease. I follow the great physician and implement what he prescribes. I don't see myself as equals to the great physician, but I see myself as a co laborer with Him to help our patients which is this lost and dying world. So again, if you want to be the greatest in the kingdom of God learn to be a nurse for the great physician. I have been in the church for thirty one years and have seen trends come and go. What I can say is we need less politicians and more nurses in the kingdom of God.
Do you operate behind closed doors?
All of what I do as a nurse happens behind a closed door. We as a family don't talk about my job, there are very few times I have come home and discussed anything about my day. I normally say "I was busy" or "It was a bad day." or "It was a great day" but due to HIPPA, and honestly the nature of what I deal with no one wants to hear about the wounds, tubes, ostomies, urine, feces, tears, blood, sweat, and any other sort of body fluid I have touched in my day as a nurse. This is my less than, no one is cheering behind me going "You did a great job today!" normally we are all just going "we survived today!" where I work we do total care on our patients. I lift, move, position, feed, medicate, and talk to five to seven patients a day for 12 hours a day. If you are going to be less than you are going to have to learn to do things behind closed doors, and not run at the first sign yuck.
As Christ followers we want others to notice our efforts but I have never in my life looked at a sick patient and said "Do you not realize everything I am doing for you! Seriously!!! You need to thank me for all my hard work!!" We as Christ followers think taking someone out to lunch one time and connecting with them earns us a gold sticker. For me as a nurse that is the equivalent of answering a call light. You didn't do anything but give them a few minutes of your time. Then you wonder why they just don't thank you, don't they know how busy you are? Don't they know they should be cheering you on? Seriously why can't these people just understand you? Now imagine me asking one of my cancer patients that? Sounds pretty silly but that is what we do as Christians, we want to get the praise in the open but we are very hesitant to close the door and get near any one's spiritual body fluids. Its what we do when no one sees it that makes us, not what we do or say in the light of everyone around us.
A disease isn't a person
Being a nurse is a thankless job and one that requires you to see the person past the sickness. There is no other way around it. I have been called every name in the book, I have been hit, kicked, spit on, chewed out, lied about, complained about, I have had stuff thrown at me, all while trying to keep that patient safe. The elderly can get a urinary tract infection and they can go from being a cute little old lady to a nasty mean witch with a hard right hook. They don't understand they need to keep the IV in so they can get re hydrated, and they need to get the Antibiotic therapy. One night I can spend the whole night in the room trying to keep her from falling as she calls me every name under heaven and the next day she could be talking to me about her grandchildren, her church group, and completely in her right mind. This is the nature of the disease, and I have learned that the disease isn't a person. I don't go in the next day and tell her how horrible she was when she was sick, I rejoice that the disease isn't messing with her mind and she is back to who she is. As Christians do we label someone due to whatever they might be currently fighting? A disease isn't a person and brokenness isn't who someone is, its a disease they are dealing with. I have learned to not take things personally and gain some thick skin, stand and make sure someone doesn't hurt themselves, or someone else. In the same way that there are physical illnesses and mental illnesses there are also spiritual illnesses that people don't know how to heal. Only the great physician, who is Jesus can give them what they need. Do you see people past their struggles, or are you quick to label them to protect yourself? Because its easy to state the obvious of a disease, but its harder to walk into the room, close the door, and serve where there is a need. This is what serving means, you plant where you may never see a harvest.
Friends I hope you hear my heart in this, I believe we serve the greatest physician, and I think its time we start following his orders. I see being a christian as being a nurse doing much behind closed doors, not expecting to hear praise from my patients, and seeing a person behind a disease. I follow the great physician and implement what he prescribes. I don't see myself as equals to the great physician, but I see myself as a co laborer with Him to help our patients which is this lost and dying world. So again, if you want to be the greatest in the kingdom of God learn to be a nurse for the great physician. I have been in the church for thirty one years and have seen trends come and go. What I can say is we need less politicians and more nurses in the kingdom of God.
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