Are you ready for work?

Ezra 7:6 “This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses…”

I know that most of you who read Glimmers are not ministers. As such, it may be difficult to relate to much of what ministers are about, especially those ministers who have the task of preaching each Sunday. But modern healthcare is acutely focused on quality and if you’ll allow, I’ll do my best to show how much you and the minister share in common.

Paul E. Scherer writes in “For We Have This Treasure” about the seriousness of the minister’s task; “It takes muscle and sweat to write a sermon. To fasten a man’s attention and challenge his respect is not done lightly, no matter how worthy your material or how exalted your theme,” (pg. 144). Quality is not done on the cheap in any profession.

This readiness is of two kinds, says Scherer. “There is the kind that begins away back in the past somewhere and continues steadily through the years,” (p. 145). “Then there is that kind of preparation which begins when the threat or promise of next Sunday falls like a shadow or a song across the week. Generalities can go hang then, something specific has to happen, (p. 146).” The minister who does not keep the spirit sharp and the mind fresh and current is doomed.

In ministry, as in healthcare or any profession really, you come to your work with your accumulated experiences and education to draw upon. You have the first kind of readiness. However, you can’t rest on your laurels. The world keeps changing and the world of healthcare is no different. If you fail to keep learning, you fail. Or if you fail to bring all of your attention to the current moment to care for the person before you, you fail. And if you fail in healthcare, the consequences can be immediately catastrophic.

At the baccalaureate service on the night before I graduated from seminary, F. J. May spoke about the Old Testament prophet Ezra, the “ready scribe.” He had a lifetime of preparation - the first kind of readiness. And he had prepared himself for that instant when he was called upon - the second kind of readiness. Dr. May, one of the best preachers I have ever heard, told a story of his own lack of readiness. While he was in seminary working on his doctorate, he was also the pastor of a busy church. He missed the due date on an assignment and offered his work as an excuse. “Professor, I’m sorry I didn’t complete my assignment. I am the pastor of a very busy church and was unable to get it done.” As best as I can remember, his professor said “Rev. May, I am not here to hear excuses on why you didn’t get your work done. I’m just here to grade the work that you do.”

Our patients come here expecting excellence. We have made ourselves ready by our education and training. We are qualified, no doubt, or we wouldn’t be here. But the people we’ll serve today will not be grading us on how well we did on our nursing boards or the cogent thoughts of our doctoral thesis. They will be grading us on how well we bring all of our expertise to bear in this present moment, this sacred moment when their need meets our loving response (Erie Chapman). They’ll be grading us on how well we care for them. Are you “ready” for that?

Blessings to you all!
Jerald