DAY 19 | THE NURSING “WE”

žcentering thought

“When one of us is down, we’re all down.” –from The Stories We Tell

encouragement from God’s word 

Read: ROMANS 12:15-16

devotional direction

If you’ve spent any time around a hospital, then you’ve likely heard the classic question nurses ask, upon entering the room of a patient who is under their care: “How are we doing today?” they will say, as they buzz around the patient’s hospital bed, tending to monitors and checking stats. 

Not, “How are you doing,” but rather, “How are we doing?”—you see?

This is the “nursing ‘we,’” and it’s a fitting metaphor for the attitude Paul tells us to have in life.

When another is happy, he says, choose to be happy. When another is sad, then choose to be sad too. Pouting over another’s victory or cheering for another’s pain—(Whew! I’m glad that’s happening to them and not me!)—is antithetical to the way of Christ. Far better, Paul says, to enter into another’s emotions with them, so that harmony can have its way. 

question to ponder

With whom can you rejoice today? With whom can you earnestly grieve?