1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV) 15 But in your
hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do
this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear
conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in
Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Nurses are persons who approach
their vocation with a 24/7 mentality. They live with a mindset that says they
cannot NOT nurse. In everyday situations they often constantly assess people
all around them and they live with the recognition that they may be called upon
in a moment’s notice to use their knowledge, experience, and skills to help in
an emergency situation or in a time of need. Though they must be careful to
abide by all professional standards, expectations, and legal requirements, part
of being a nurse is simply wanting to help people when trouble comes.
On June 12 a Washington County Observer-Reporter headline read “New Peters Bride in Wedding Dress Revives Woman on a Pittsburgh
Bench”. The story reported by Scott Beveridge said… “A new bride who graduated
from Peters Township High School kicked off her high heels while still wearing
her wedding gown and revived a woman Saturday who was found unconscious on a
Pittsburgh bench. Julie Stroyne, a trauma nurse at University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center - Presbyterian hospital, said she revived the woman
who was on a bench near Westin Convention Center on Liberty Avenue.”
“That’s something I’ll never forget,” said Stroyne,
who was walking at the time with her new husband, Andrew Nixon, from their
wedding reception held at The Pennsylvanian at 1100 Liberty Ave.
“There’s no time off,” said the 2010
Peters graduate who was a tennis standout in high school.
Her
sister, Kaitlyn Stroyne, said a bystander at the time said the woman who
appeared to be in her early 20s didn’t have a pulse.
“My sister got down on her knees and
immediately began CPR,” Kaitlyn Stroyne said.
“Everyone around us was saying, ‘The
bride saved the day,’” she said.
The Stroynes did not get the name or
condition of the woman who was taken away by ambulance.
“Once the paramedics stepped in, we
kind of stepped back,” Julie Stroyne said.
For Nurse Stroyne, it did not matter
what other seemingly more important things were going on in her life. A matter
of life and death was presented to her and she acted. She was heard to say,
“there’s no time off a nurse’s duties”.
This action and these ideas also
have a relevance for the Church. Every follower of Jesus is never really off
duty. We are called to represent Christ 24/7… when happy or sad, energetic or
weary, living in plenty or in want. Jesus did not call His followers to be His
witness just when they felt good or “in the mood”. We represent Him every hour
of every day. And we never know when an opportunity will come up to speak about
our love for Him or about what He has done for us. Or we may have an occasion
to be His hands and feet: serving another person caringly in His name. A
mindset of readiness and anticipation will equip us to rise up and respond in
the right time and in the right way with the right words or actions. The Holy
Spirit opens the doors and when we are “geared to speak/serve” it’s amazing how
many such circumstances we encounter. The New Testament call to the believer is
readiness. In other words, we should plan on having opportunities to speak and
serve. We should not be surprised, but are actually to be intentionally on the
lookout.
The first sermon I ever preached in
my early twenties was called, “What If God Went on Vacation”. It was a call to
people not to excuse themselves from worship or service to the Lord when summer
came, because for many in that church, summer was a time to play that often did
not include much thought of the things of the Lord. But what would we do if God
“went on vacation”? This world – including us – would be in incalculable
trouble if God just “vacated the premises”. Of course we know that God does not
do this. He is immanent: intimately involved with, though apart from – His
creation. Paul wrote to the believers in Colossae that “in Christ all things
hold together” (Colossians 1:17).
In the same way, a Christian is never
“on vacation” from God, from the Word, or from speaking words of grace and
serving as the hands and feet of Jesus. We are never off-duty. May we be always
ready to bear witness to God’s love, truth, and grace in word and deed, and may
our eyes and ears be open to such opportunities on a daily basis. What an
amazing and wonderful thing that God would use us so. Amen!
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NIV) 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his
kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be
prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great
patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will
come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own
desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what
their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their
ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But
you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an
evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
1 Peter 4:10-11
(NIV) 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to
serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very
words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides,
so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the
glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER: Father, give me eyes to see and ears to hear
and a faith that relies upon you so that I may speak and serve in ways that
glorify you and express love and care to others. Thanks. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
No comments:
Post a Comment