I have tons of paperwork to complete, phone calls to make, grants to write, evaluations to do, never enough time in a day and then to top it off I have patients and other agency staff complaining. About what you may ask, about everything! Not only complaining, but being down right rude and disrespectful. Lord, why am I here and where has the passion gone for the work that we do in the Water Street Clinic? He clearly asks me the question, “Do you love them?”
Instead of blaming others for their rude, legalistic or complaining behavior, the Lord asks me to look at my heart. He has been reminding me that no matter how others may behave, I must love them as He loves them, and not respond to them as they do to me. Wow, very hard! I realize that the only way I can respond to others unkindness with love is through Christ. When I get an email or verbal response which is rude and or legalistic I stop and say Lord, how do You want me to respond? I have found that I don’t get my emotions all tangled up if I give the problems to Him immediately, and I have much more loving responses than I ever thought that I could.
As the Lord has been teaching me how to love like He does He has shown me a few things that I’d like to share with you:
- Life and ministry is NOT about rules, but about giving to show the other person that they are special in His eyes. Yes, we still must have the paperwork and limits on services so we can serve the many uninsured and in need, but there are many acts of kindness that we can add that will show the individual they are cared about. Unless they plan to commit physical harm to someone we never turn anyone away from the clinic without some guidance or words of encouragement.
- Listen to others without working on my answer to what they are saying. Really listen and when I speak affirm what they are saying. If I am trying to come up with a response from my perspective, I’m not really hearing them.
- I must forgive others as Christ has forgiven me. Not just a feeling, but a conscious act to treat them with respect. Jesus was never a door mat but He loved those who hated Him. I will have to forgive others often over and over again.
- Don’t judge others, that is God’s job. I am to compare myself only to Jesus as my model. As I judge others He will judge me.
- #1 Love the Lord, #2 Love others – this wraps up how He wants me to live!
- I cannot do the above; I must BE the above, by letting Jesus live in me! It is never about an act of will, but a change of heart.
- Let God be God and work His plan in only the miraculous way that He does. I often limit His work by not expecting a miracle. Yes, God still heals today whether the person’s illness is physical, mental or an addiction. The world offers cover ups with medications, procedures and lies, but Jesus offers true freedom.
- Trust Him when all appears to be going wrong! His ways are not my ways and He sees things differently. Death is true & perfect healing. I trust that He loves me and others more than I can know.
- Every day I am to devour His word and put it in my heart and let Him teach me His ways.
- I can live a full life filled with His Joy as my strength here and now!
Lord, may I never live like the Pharisees by only spouting out the rules, but with a heart filled with your love for others that you have placed in my life. Thank you Lord for my family, friends, staff and patients of the clinic!
I love & trust you Lord!
- Gale Thomason, Water Street Clinics
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