Angels of Mercy...

While spending time with a church family in a Pittsburgh hospital this week, I took notice of the medical professionals attending to the patient I was visiting. What amazing people. Each one that entered the room was cordial, exceptionally accommodating to the family, and communicated in a clear, helpful way. Nurses, aids, physicians, even the housekeeping personnel were, to a person, superb in both plying their skills and interacting with the family in an encouraging, open manner. It may be my imagination, but it seems to me that this kind of patient-centered medical "hospitality" is on the increase, at least in the hospitals we visit as clergy. Given the way the medical community is being hammered by bad press today, this is an unexpected reaction, taking human nature into consideration.

Medical costs are too high...hospitals are understaffed and over-crowded...doctors have a poor "bedside manner"...UPMC stands for "U Pay Me Cash"...why does an aspirin in the hospital cost $10? On and on, we are critical of the healthcare field--that is until you really need these people. Even with our criticizing them from every direction, they appear to be working to be nicer to us, more caring, and more careful in how they care. The cynic might say these behaviors are "required" strategies to ward off lawsuits in a litigious time. However, the genuineness and integrity of the behaviors I have observed would seem to dispute this assertion. Maybe, just maybe, at a time when their profession is somewhat under siege, these professionals are responding by doing their job even better and with more obvious caring concern for their patients? What a concept. Is this healthcare's answer to "turn the other cheek?" (I could suggest a bad "injection site" joke here, butt I'll refrain...)

Maybe the world would be a better place if we all chose to respond to biting criticism and cutting sarcasm (even when it is at least partly deserved) with doing what we do better and in a friendlier mood? Maybe this is exactly what Jesus meant when he did the "turn the other cheek" thing. Human nature, unbridled, would have us become defensive, looking to blast holes in the presenting criticism, or even worse, taking a swing at the critic. The worst "punches" we throw are the ones that may be deserved by the punch-ee, at least from Jesus' viewpoint. Having every reason to strike back, and every right, according to some, the Christ-follower is beckoned to drop the fists, offer grace, and even strive to understand the one who raised our ire.

Nobody said discipleship is easy. The word disciple means "student" or "one who learns." Going to school on those who criticize us, and hearing their legitimate, helpful "correctives," though they may be couched in vitriol or impudence, and then responding by improving our "serve" is a Jesus kind of way of handling the situation. It's decidedly NOT easy! And if the criticism happens to strike a nerve worn bare by a history of harassment or emotional abuse, it may not even be possible for everyone, even people committed to growing in faith. But for those of us who are fortunate to have avoided these developmental pitfalls, it is a good goal. The Bible says that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...there is no law against these responses.

My clergy colleagues and I (and, our St. Paul's Leadership Team) have been reading the book, The Anatomy of Peace from the Arbinger Institute. In this book, it is suggested that we can approach controversial issues--or criticism--with either a "heart of peace" or a "heart of war." The "heart of peace" people see the person first, respects them, and then addresses the issue at hand. The "heart of war" people see only the issue and the argument, and their "conversation" may too quickly move from debate to debasing the other. Developing a "heart of peace" may be a secular way of saying "turn the other cheek," and "love your neighbor as you love yourself." Friends, I can write about this stuff, but this is one area of my life where I have to work so hard to develop a "heart of peace," as my sarcastic, often "salty" retorts in forensic exchanges can pop out SO effortlessly. With Pentecost upon us this coming weekend, my personal Holy Spirit prayer is that I will learn to live out I Peter 3:9 from the Bible: Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and God will bless you for it.

The medical professionals I witnessed this week were doing that "heart of peace" thing, and were offering blessings. Bravo to them. Bravo. Can church people do this stuff? Can we develop the "heart of peace?" I wouldn't be doing what I do if I didn't believe we could. As we celebrate Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit this week, may we get the gift of "speaking in tongues"--of speaking with a civil, affirming, and conciliatory tone and tune. Grace, Yinz...