General Hospital - the Completion

I've saved what I view as possibly the most important comparisons of the church vs. the hospital for the end of the series...

Nurses - Nurses aren't the ones with the signature that can medicate any pain you may have but they are the ones who administer the medication and perhaps more importantly a nurse brings comfort. A nurse is there for each patient in every unit of this hospital; bringing a laugh on a dark day, comforting family members going through stressful situations, supporting the doctors who are much overwhelmed with many patients and befriending those patients who are alone, without their family in the hospital. Some may say nurses are the most important staff members in a hospital... And, I tend to agree with that line of thinking myself.

In comparison, in church we should be overstaffed when it comes to nurses! Everyone can and should be a nurse to those around them... Whether it's bringing a laugh or smile to someone, comforting our church family members who are going through situations we can't even fathom, supporting our leadership through volunteering our time, talent and prayer or a card or not sent on a non-occasion to uplift or being a friend to the person who walks through the doors alone or who's family is not there ("Friend," by the way, is a "permanent position" if you will, you're not just covering a "leave of absence" so stick with the person instead of befriending them for a week or two then, at the first sign of inconvenience, leaving them in the dust to figure it out on their own.)

My very last thought on the matter is "whatever happened to the day of a house visit from your physician?" I understand in the physical, but spiritually. In the day of horse and carriage doctors did have their office for appointments and drop-ins, but the would also come to your home in case of emergency, moreover, people were welcomed to knock on the door of the doctor's own home! We need to apply this in our lives today! People should know they are welcome to come to our homes, call us on the telephone or e-mail when they feel they need help! We should go to them whether there is an emergency or not (although in the opinion of some, including my own, salvation is always an emergency) even if we are there to give a check-up on a previous condition now in remission!

I love you all now lets get all of our hospital units up and running so we can help everyone who comes through the doors... Better yet, lets walk out of the doors of our hospital and make some house-calls to the world surrounding us! GO!