Remember Who You Work For
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you form the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
Matthew 28:34-40
I have been reminded of late that the work I do, the people I care for, the critical thinking, the long hours, the juggling of hats is a sacred work. You see, for much of my nursing career, I worked hard for me. My achiever’s personality thrived in this profession. I met my goals, the quality of my work was quantifiable. I was rewarded by patient satisfaction scores, earned respect among my peers, and a sense of pride knowing that I was making a difference in the world. For years, though I loved Jesus, I worked for me.
One day a couple of years ago, I got to talking to the cashier who was checking out my groceries at Walmart. We chatted about our spouses, or love for the Lord, and what it means to live for God. As I paid my bill, beeps echoing at varying volumes throughout the storefront, he looked me in the eye and asked me how he could be praying for me. I confessed to feeling burnt out and struggling to fill the many hats that God had put on my head. He smiled a knowing smile and said, “Sister, remember who you work for. You don’t work for you; you work for God.”
And as I loaded my car up on that hot, sticky Texas afternoon, his admonition echoed in my mind, “Remember who you work for…”
So, friend, who do we work for? When you are in meetings, in trainings, wiping excrement, who do you work for? When you call that insurance company again or hold that patient’s hand, or hug their loved ones as they cry, who are you serving? Christian, you were called to healthcare to serve Jesus, not to have a rewarding career. You were put in your position to serve God by serving others. It’s not about your job satisfaction, which will wax and wane. It’s not about the quality of your work, though quality care is compassionate care. It’s not even about the patient scores, which bolster bottom lines and a sense of pride. No, you are placed in your field, at your hospital, with those specific patients for one purpose- to serve the Almighty God. And your service to him is not a thankless toil. No, friend, a reward is coming. A reward that is too big for this fallen world.
God has been preparing your reward for faithful service to Him since “the foundation of the world.”
Dare I make you a promise? If you take your eyes off you, if you work to serve Jesus, and let him define you (not your wonderful work), you will be more satisfied. David says it best in Psalm 16:11, “I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”