Badge-Toting Pastor

October 5th, 2009 |

Okay. There is no easy way to say this, but I had a bad attitude from the get go.  I received a letter several months ago informing me that I would need to come by a local hospital, fill out some paper work, and get a photo ID badge made to continue to have access to their patients.  Hey bud, your patients are my people and if I want to see them, who are you to deny or restrict my access.  Anyway, the letter stated that all of this was to make it easier, not more difficult, for me to visit the hospital.  Blah, blah, blah, yeah right. Suddenly I felt like I was in the “spin zone”.   I realize it is a security measure, but after 11 years, I knew the hospital well and never had any difficulty visiting there.  In fact, the “powers that be”, or rather, many of the people who work for the “powers that be” know me.  As a pastor, I have access to most patients, even when they are in restricted areas such as Critical Care.  I never try to abuse this and rarely stay with any patient very long.  My philosophy has always been that if you are sick enough to be in the hospital, you do not need long-winded visitors.   Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but they are rare.  Remember that the next time you visit someone in a medical facility.  Now, on with my ranting.  I continued to put off going by and having my badge made, but finally Bro. Grant and I decided it was time to comply.  The whole ordeal was pretty painless, though it did little to soften my sour attitude.  A day later I was in the hospital, wearing my new tag, when a lady stopped and asked if I worked in this hospital.  Afraid she was about to ask me a medical question I quickly told her that I was simply a visiting pastor (who was obliged to wear this silly badge).  It was then that the Lord hit me.  You know what I mean.  You’re complaining while He is creating situations for ministry. It hits you like a ton of bricks how mysteriously He can work even through an ID badge.   It just so happened that the “clergy” on my badge was why she stopp ed me.  She had a friend who could sure use a visit from a pastor.  Would I mind checking on her?  I said “yes” and she thanked me.  I am sure the Lord smiled as I rode the elevator up to the 8th floor.  Thankfully I did not choke on “crow” as I made an unexpected visit to a total stranger.  God is good all the time.

Your badge-toting pastor,
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