After six years of serving as a hospice chaplain, this was a first.
Bob (not his actual name) was surprisingly upbeat and cheerful. Younger than me, his already-troublesome orthopedic disorder had been torpedoed by a motor vehicle accident. Bed-bound for nine years, his legs have become immovable trunks. His fingers are like ten rebellious soldiers, but he still feeds himself. It’s messy, but he manages. His vision is showing signs of erosion, but is buttressed by the work of a sharp mind from days past, having engineered a wireless connection between the laptop on his movable bedtable and the jumbo television on the wall.
As I sat beside his bed, he shared with me his goal: I have a sad story. But I don’t want anyone to get depressed, so I am motivated to lift the spirits of every person who visits me.
I had never heard a patient express that intention. Surprisingly, it wasn’t motivated by faith; he described himself as agnostic, and declined my offer to pray for him at the conclusion of our visit.
But I did share with him my sense of the irony of his declaration to be an encouragement to others: That’s my goal also!
And I meant it. I have distilled my work with terminally ill patients and their loved ones down to its essence: in the midst of their impending grief and loss, I seek to bring a smile to their faces.
Admittedly, I don’t always meet my goal. But the accumulated effect of building trust, a sincere and gentle touch (physically and emotionally), reminding them of comforting and assuring words, calling to mind helpful images, and the power of song – these can lessen the burden of a day and brighten the eyes of both patient and caregiver.
That’s the role of a Chaplain. That’s my job, what Medicare – through my employer, Bristol Hospice – pays me to do.
But that role officially ends on December 20, 2024, when I will retire, a month after my seventieth birthday. As the year ends, and I turn in my badge, my phone and my I-Pad, will I also walk away from a desire to lighten the days and the faces of the people I meet?
In a word, no. I won’t, and I can’t.
So where am I going with this post?
Bob has a goal, but he doesn’t have a role in a bigger picture. If he’s having a bad day, or if he doesn’t have the emotional strength to lift someone’s spirits, he can just turn the helping switch to the off position. His goal is commendable, but he is under no obligation to meet it.
We are not like Bob. We’re called to follow Jesus. We can also have a goal, but more importantly, we have been given a role in God’s universal endeavor. The first words Jesus spoke to his disciples following his resurrection couldn’t be more clear:
Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. And with that, he breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit”. (John 20:21-22)
As followers of Jesus and receivers of his grace, we need to understand our identity, who he says we are*, realizing and accepting the role with which we have been entrusted.
When we come to that realization, and let it be the lens through which we see all our days and all our experiences and all the people we encounter … that. changes. everything. Everything.
Jesus went out of his way to help us understand who we are. That knowledge must break into and transform our heads and our hearts, and therefore our actions and our interactions. It can’t be summed up in one statement, so he (and three of his closest companions – Peter, John, and Paul) use multiple images to convey one truth: our identity as followers of Jesus, those who walk in his ways.
The list is exhaustive, to the point of almost being over-the-top. This is who you are:
You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16).
You are children of light. (Ephesians 5:8-9) In the ancient world, this idiomatic expression means you exhibit the characteristics of light, which Paul identifies as goodness, righteousness, and truth.
You are the salt of the world, preserving and seasoning what God loves. (Matthew 5:12-13)
You are children of God (John 1:12, I John 3:1-3). This means you have sisters and brothers throughout the world.
You are the sheep of the Good Shepherd’s flock (John 10:1-18, echoing Psalm 100 and Isaiah 53:6)
You are the branches of the Gardener’s one Vine (John 15:1-17)
You are the body of Christ, and each one of you has a part in it. (I Corinthians 12:27)
You are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal of reconciliation with the world through us. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
Here is my favorite, taken from the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the chapter Jesus read on the day he began his ministry: they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. … they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. (Isaiah 61:3-4)
Yes, I’m retiring. But it simply means I’m just changing the parameters of where and whom I will serve for the next chapter of my life. I still have a role in God’s Kingdom, and have identified two places where God has planted me to bring honor to his name.
Starting in January I will be voluntarily serving families affected by epilepsy, giving seizure first-aid presentations to schools and to service clubs. I will also volunteer one day a week at a local golf course, where I will also join the men’s club, playing regularly in their activities and tournaments.
Enough about me. What about you?
With which of the images do you resonate? Which one helps you understand who you are? What will you do with that knowledge?
More specifically, what is the role God has called you to play in your world: family, neighborhood, and region?
You will be tempted to close this post now. Allow me to share with you why I hope you will ask yourself these important questions.
Let’s imagine a typical scenario – someone has been appointed to serve as the candlelighter for a family wedding. The bride and groom are ready for the processional, but the candles remain dim. Why? Because the candlelighter is involved with other things, and is not living into the assigned role.
Friends – we are too often the distracted bearers of light. Jesus has appointed us to be the light of the world, and it’s time to live into our role.
I’ll close with the good news – God is always thrilled when we wake up and live into our identity. We don’t serve him in order to be accepted and loved by him. We serve because we are already accepted and loved. Let’s be who we are every day!
Benediction of Blessing:
May you accept your identity in Christ, who Jesus says you are.
May you be given an awareness of what that means for your life today. And tomorrow.
May you endeavor by the power of the Holy Spirit to say with Paul these amazing words: I no longer live but Christ lives in me.**
* For a deeper exploration of this topic, I recommend Who God Says You Are: A Christian Understanding of Identity by Klyne Snodgrass.
** Galatians 2:20
Credits:
Chaplain: Shutterstock
Candlelighter: Angeldirect.com
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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM
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