The One Question

The doctor would never forget those 11 words spoken by the elderly man. His patient arrived at 8:30a.m.to have stitches removed from his thumb. He expressed a sense of urgency since he had an appointment at 9:00 am. He needed to visit the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. As the doctor finished dressing the man's wound, the physician asked if the elderly gentleman would be worried if he would be a bit late.

The husband paused for a moment then explained that his wife no longer knew who he was -- that she had not recognized him in five years. The physician was amazed. "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" The 80 year old smiled as he patted the doctor's hand. "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is." (adapted, author unknown, www.oprs.org)

We all yearn to be special. We want that guarantee that nothing will ever snatch away our value. Life’s hazards can sometimes beat upon our confidence, whisper words of rejection and numb our gratitude. Even when our road is perfectly paved – free of detours, no traffic jams, no pot holes, we can be most at risk. We might ease into an arrogance that will distance us from our divine connection and cause us to become more and more self-absorbed.

Here is our hope. Like the elderly gentleman, Jesus cannot break His promise: “I will always know who you are; I will show up every day.” When God seems most silent maybe He is most present. That silence is His gift moving us to figure out what we still must learn before the calm returns. Also if we become preoccupied with the “What if question” we lose our peripheral vision to see God working through the details of our lives.

The loving husband teaches us another truth. No matter how this man's actions were judged -- perhaps with great admiration -- perhaps with criticism for subjecting himself to “unnecessary grief”-- he knew a truth that transcended other's opinions. Nothing would keep him from those daily visits with his wife. Jesus urges us to stay the course. In the workplace, it’s inevitable that some will be critical of you -- no matter how much good you do and no matter how much excellence you bring to your work. If our Lord was denounced as a glutton and a drunkard, there’s just no pleasing the crowd. We need to strengthen our internal compass, trust its accuracy, and then follow the course.

To do this we must get the answer correct for this one question: "Who are we really trying to please?" Bring this question with you to all your business exchanges and see how the Spirit strengthens your creativity, your resolve for good, and your focus on things that matter most.