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The International Federation of Social Workers’ global working
definition of social work and the social worker is as quoted: “Social work is a
practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social
change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of
people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility
and respect for diversities are central to social work.”
This is a very noble concept indeed especially in the
sense that it is the secular answer to serving and caring for neighbor. I thought about this concept a lot after I
was spending an entire morning doing one of the many wonderful ministries I
enjoy as a pastor which is visitation.
I was visiting an individual in the hospital the other
day for over four hours. This visit in
particular was critically important since the individual was borderline
suicidal and not in his right place emotionally. I was grateful to be a comforting presence of
prayer and an open heart to hear and aid in spiritually healing this
person. One of the additional tasks I
had to do on their behalf the other day was sit down with his doctors, nurses
and social workers to give my impressions of the individual and to offer myself
to be of any assistance they may need in helping to find him a rehabilitation
facility and mental health counseling.
As a person of tradition and a “woman” minister, going
into hospitals always reveals a mixed response of people wondering what you are
and where are you going. In fact the
other minister assisting me in helping this individual also came by herself
later in the day to visit. She said that
someone asked her jokingly if she was wearing a Halloween costume. Pretty sad, if you ask me but that is still
the sad fact of how some people outwardly view women in ministry!
During the extended time of ministering to this
individual, I was greatly looking forward to speaking with the hospital’s
social worker in dialoguing my assessment and offering myself to her disposal
if she needed more information. Well as
the saying goes, the balloon of excitement and hopeful dialogue was greatly
deflated upon the entrance and initial exchange between the social worker and
myself. Not only was she very curt and
frankly rather rude and disrespectful but said point blank to me in front of
the patient—why don’t you just take him in and care for him yourself…
Not only was this social worker violating the Hippa laws
to a degree but the indifference and passionless sense of her un-informed
perspective was just plain awful to experience and see! Not even asking how he was doing, she asked
for his insurance cards and completely ignored that the person was in a fragile
emotional state. As a pastor and a disciple of Jesus commanded by an inner
obedience to Love God and neighbor; this behavior both greatly saddened me and
made me angry!
We can create great statements of goals, ideals and quote
“job descriptions” for things we do in this world… But if they are not truly,
inwardly transforming the heart to serve—then why are you doing it? After a very brief uncomfortable time both in
the patient’s room and then begrudgingly in the hallway with this social worker… I couldn’t help but see someone who only was
interested in money and “it’s just a job” mentality, especially since she asked
as if I was not listening, why don’t you and your church give them money to
move into an assisted facility. She continued begrudgingly and somewhat annoyed
to take down my phone number and look into Medicare covered facilities for this
person who has no family and nowhere to go!
If this social worker even remotely held herself
accountable to the statement I quoted at the beginning of this sermon; she would
be compassionately listening and discerning all details of the sad story of
this patient’s life now desperately needing her help! Thinking even further about
this, what if I wasn’t there, what if the other minister wasn’t there as well
trying to aid this person to receive proper care and concern… He would fall
through the cracks. Perhaps even left
out and made homeless by a system that claims to offer itself as quote: “an
academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social
cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people.”
Whatever titles, descriptions and outward definitions we
give ourselves in creating that abstract “Jacob’s Ladder” of righteousness to
God—if it is not inwardly realized truthfully in the heart… it is ego, plain
and simple. It is vanity and lip service
bearing the ugly fruits of indifference, greed and despair. This hospital employee was just that, an
employee and not someone who truly and truthfully cared for the individuals
they’re supposed to care for!
Taking those baby steps with joy into ministry has been
nothing but wonderful and humbling, speaking for myself, on so many
levels. For everything I do and say
through Christ Jesus who is my Lord and Savior; I try to continue to grow
inwardly. Teach me O Lord is the song of
my heart as His dedicated disciple, committed to serve Him and my
neighbor! I have recently been blessed
to be involved in many different ministries, one being in addition to serving 2
church plants is caring for seniors through “Visiting Angels.”
I am currently caring for an elderly couple of sisters
near to my home. One is 96 and the other
is 88. They really only truly want my
company. Which on one level I love to be
there for them on the other, it is rather sad that I am “paid” to be their
company. The few tasks I do in aiding
the 88 year old, I always find it sweet that she tells me over and over I’m
terribly sorry to be such trouble today.
She has polio in her legs and has good and bad days walking and
functioning. Her spry 96 year old sister
can’t help her walk anymore due to arthritis and a variety of other health
issues.
Some on the outside of this kind of service would perhaps
see this as only half ministry, half healthcare. I don’t see it as half and half whether it is
technically or outwardly seen as such to me it is ministry period. For why would this be different if I was
their pastor coming to purely visit them from their church? Is there some unspoken rule or “job”
description that says I’m not supposed to help carry her? Or aid her in putting on her jacket? Or helping her to walk into the kitchen?
We spend, as a society, an inordinate amount of time
judging and correcting one another to what role we are supposed to “fit”
into. Yes, I am a pastor. I love to vest, I love wearing blue jeans
& I am a woman minister! So what difference does that truly make? If I wanted to heartily live into the “ego”
aspect of ministry I would be concerned about staying upon that unrealistic
pedestal of representing an office… BUT If I am not representing Christ Jesus
profoundly in my heart; I am only a hypocrite and another ugly addition to a
fallen humanity that can’t even practice what they preach!
Some may only see me as someone not building the “right
ladder” to what they configure a pastor to be… but then perhaps they’re not
looking behind them seeing the domino of closing church doors, fading
congregations and empty ritualism that doesn’t feed the soul yet alone is obedient
to Christ & His Gospel! It is more than convenient to put on those
blinders, as the priesthood of all believers, we are all guilty of this at some
time or another, when we don’t want to be truly accountable yet alone humble to
a new kind of spiritual discipline… BUT Christ Jesus is calling us to inward
obedience, transformation and service!
The other minister and myself will most likely have to
meet again with this social worker to make sure that our parishioner is truly
being cared for. It’s not something I am
necessarily looking forward to but as Paul says in today’s letter, I must don
that armor. I must take up that shield of faith that my heart has shaped by and
for Christ as well as I must carry that sword of the spirit—God’s Word and use
it! I could be a prisoner to this culture or merely a chaplain to culture and
its Jacob’s ladder ego-built climb to righteousness BUT I willingly choose to
be a bold witness, ambassador for that unpopular, radical obedience to Christ
Jesus and His Gospel of Grace!
Being a prisoner to this culture is purely working a job,
listing office hours... Paying lip
service to human idealism as purely burgeoning empty promises… For the devil can and does work in both
places… What you are on the inside and
what you return outwardly to the world quote, for the world. Prayer is lived when the heart, that 1st
church connects with the head and then the hands and feet to produce the
beautiful fruits of living Grace. As God
is my witness, those words I took deeply into my heart and confessed the day I
was ordained; I WILL make good upon for the rest of my earthly life!
AMEN
August 30th,
2015; 14th Sunday after Pentecost; Proper 17; Year B; SOLA Lectionary
Sermon by
Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins
Psalm
119:129-136; Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9; Ephesians 6:10-20; Mark 7:14-23
This sermon link below was delivered at the Grace Hub Discipleship Ministries' house church at 8am
https://youtu.be/BgXkxikqkmA
https://youtu.be/BgXkxikqkmA
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