The House of God

During my second week of vacation at my parent's house, I was scrounging around for some reading material.  My dad walked up to me and asked, "Have you read The House of God?"

"No."

"Read the first chapter, and then read the introduction," he said.

I never read the introduction.  I just started reading.

I finished the book in three days.  This is no small accomplishment considering we made a trip to the museum, a trip to the beach, and a trip taking my grandmother to the doctor all while keeping three kids occupied at grandma and grandpa's house.  The book was a phenomenal insight into the stresses doctors face on their internships--and the inhumanity they often go through during the process.

As I read through the book and saw what was taking place in the life of the main character, I started making all sorts of applications to other jobs as well.  It was eye opening to think of the possibilities.

For instance, one of the "rules" stated in the book was, "The patient is the one with the disease."  Corollary: not the doctor. 

This rule may seem a bit inhumane, but it's necessary.  If a doctor owns every problem of every patient he or she sees, then that doc is an emotional wreck.  Imagine allowing each thought you have to be dominated by each and every symptom your patient has.  Imagine if your patient dies and you feel 100% responsible for that death even if that person were suffering from incurable cancer.  Could you handle such a burden? 

Of course, I immediately translated that into church work: can I as a pastor own my congregation members' problems?  Can I own whether or not my congregation grows or declines?  Can I own the financial situation of the congregation?  For certain, I play a part in the process--as does a doctor--but is it mine and mine alone?  And if I tried to carry it, what would happen to my physical, mental, and spiritual psyche? 

Hmmm.