Finding your place.


It was a roll-over traffic collision (T/C) on the freeway. We arrived on-scene to find a vehicle upside down in the center lane. The victim was the driver, a 70ish year old male who was suspended upside down in the vehicle, and he wasn’t breathing. He was being held in by his seat belt. My partner and I slid into the car, disconnected the seat belt, and slid him out.

As we spread out our gear preparing to intubate the patient (passing a tube into his lungs to breathe for him), a man touched my shoulder and said, “Can I help? I am an Anesthesiologist.” This guy was not only a doctor, but he intubates people for a living. I said, “Sure.” We set about intubating the patient lying on the side of the freeway. He made several attempts to intubate and failed at each attempt.

I asked him if I could try, and he gestured toward the patient in approval. I took off my turnout coat and laid flat on my stomach at the head of the patient. Then I pulled my coat over both me and the patient, blocking out all light except the one on my laryngoscope. I intubated the patient and we started breathing for him. We were code 3 to the trauma center. The doctor kept apologizing enroute, shaking his head about what I had done. He was humble and very congenial on the ride to the hospital.

What happened?

This doctor intubates more people in week than I do in a year, so he had ability, but he was outside of his element. He was outside the hospital; the patient was on the ground and not a gurney. On the other hand, I am not a doctor, but I am good at what I do.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully” Romans 12:6-8

The scripture is clear that we each have our own peculiar set of abilities. It doesn’t require a degree in “Service” to be a good servant. I might like that degree in “Encouragement”. If I had that, I could get people to do what I want.…Right.

The truth is, we all have remarkable talents in specific situations that can literally “Save a soul”: The guy who picks up a rake and brings a lost teen on Saturday to rake the leaves at the church building while telling his own life story in Christ. The outstretched hand to help a neighbor in need, and pray for and with him. The volunteer in Children’s Ministry that encourages a parent about their child. All of these are functions that only you may be able to perform. You might not be able to lead them through the 13 dispensations of the Bible or have a discourse on the Evolution/creation debate, but you can be there when needed.

Sometimes, servant leadership isn’t asking “What needs to be done?” hoping that no one answers. Sometimes it is “I can do that!” and taking the step forward when others may have failed.

Jesus found fisherman to be His disciples; yet Luke was a physician, an interesting array of individuals. I would imagine they were pretty common individuals, just like you and me. We can do great works from where we are; we just have to act on what we are “gifted in”, and quit worrying if we are qualified.

The gentleman in the T/C did survive.