Humble Pie

As I have researched for this blog post, I have become increasingly aware that I need this word in my life.  Humble.  This year should be interesting! About the middle of December, I started asking the Lord what my new word for the year might be.  Last year was my first attempt at focusing on ONE word.  I think that overall it was a successful venture, although there were more times that I didn't focus on listening than when I did.  New year, new day, new chances..

Until today, I hadn't received a solid answer, but then I realized that in all of the things I have read, and in several conversations I have had over the last month and more specifically in the last few weeks... humility has been the central theme.  SO, I think that my new word for 2016 is humble.  My co-workers will tell you that this is probably not a quality that I have excelled in the last few years.  In fact, I have regularly touted that "I am awesome".  Which I am, but the point is.... humility lets the awesomeness speak for itself.

I told Steve about the word I feel I've been lead to.  He thinks I'm humble (I guess I have him fooled), so he asked me what I think the definition of that word is.  I don't think I know the definition, I'm not so sure that I would even recognize humble if I saw it.  I can point out pride... but what is humility?

While I was thinking about that, this story came to mind.  I don't know where it came from or if I had heard it before somewhere...

A hungry hunter prays and asks God to send him some game.  The man goes out to find food and comes across a fish swimming slowly in a clear stream.  He looks at the fish and says in his heart that he deserves something bigger than a fish, God wouldn't provide only a small fish.  The hunter walks stealthily through the forest searching for bigger prey when he happens upon a bird.  The bird doesn't seem to notice as the hunter raises his bow.  As the man takes aim, he thinks in his heart that he can do better than a bird... he is worth much more.  So the hungry hunter lowers his bow as the bird flies away.  The man continues his search for large game to fill his belly.  A rabbit foraging on the forest floor becomes very still and raises his ears, the man has the rabbit in his sight.  But again, the man decides that he needs much more than a rabbit to satisfy his hunger.  Much later in the day, the hungry hunter comes across a deer tracks.  The man says to himself, yes this is the kind of animal that I deserve! He searches and searches for the deer that left its tracks on the forest floor, but can not find the animal.  By this time it is getting dark, and disheartened the man makes his way back to his humble cabin.  As the hungry man is walking back to his home, every step he takes makes him more and more angry at God.  The man says to God, you say you are my Provider, I asked you for food, for game, and now I am going home with nothing, and I am still hungry. The forest was quiet for several minutes and then gently God answered the man.  "I gave you what you asked for.  I answered your prayer with a fish, a bird and a rabbit but in your pride you decided that you are better than my gift.. instead you kept searching for what you felt like you deserved instead of accepting what I put in your hand

So, if the story above illustrates Pride, what is true humility?

Vernon Grounds(1) says, 

"It is the spontaneous recognition of the creature’s absolute dependence on his Creator ….”

Andrew Murray(2) says,

“the place of entire dependence on God.” He adds, “Humility is not so much a grace or virtue along with others; it is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God, and allows Him as God to do all…. It is simply the sense of entire nothingness, which comes when we see how truly God is all, and in which we make way for God to be all.”

Stuart Scott says(3),

"When someone is humble they are focused on God and others, not self. Even their focus on others is out of a desire to love and glorify God…. A humble person’s goal is to elevate God and encourage others. In short, they “no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Cor. 5:15).

So then, humility (or pride) is a matter of how we think before God. Often we can see the attitudes and behavior of pride in others. But the point is, even if we can hide our pride from others, we cannot hide it from God. This is a mindset that we have to develop before Him, where we constantly judge our dependence on ourselves and affirm our gratitude toward Him and dependence on Him. James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”(4)

If He can humble himself to become man, suffer and die for me, the least I can do is be humble myself and trust him in All things.

I'm ready 2016!!!  This year is going to be interesting and full of change, I can feel it!  

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1. Vernon Grounds.  Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, ed. by Merrill C. Tenney [Zondervan], 3:222)
2. Murray, Andrew.  Humility: The Beauty of Holiness [Christian Literature Crusade], p. 12
3. Scott, Stuart.  From Pride to Humility (rev. ed., excerpted from The Exemplary Husband [Focus Publications], p. 17
4. Cole, Steven J. Bible.org

Dear Patients,

Retail pharmacy, and most all medical fields, is an interesting and sometimes frustrating balance in giving a patient what they want while giving a patient what they need.  We have to walk a fine line between law, customer service, and insurance regulations.  Our society has become one of convenience and quick fixes.  Patients have come to expect that kind of convenience from their pharmacy.  Even though some pharmacies have drive-up windows, patients should not expect the process to work like McDonald’s.  If McDonald’s messes up your order, it’s very unlikely that you will die; this is not the case for a pharmacy.  Our job is difficult and is only made worse by patients who do not take responsibility for their own life or health care. 

            Refills are listed on the prescription label.  The label will also list an expiration date.  If your refills are denied by the doctor, or just have not been called in, it is your responsibility as the patient to call the doctor and ask why.  The pharmacy handles thousands of prescriptions a week; we do not have time or man power to call you personally when you are out of refills or to remind you to go to the doctor for a check-up.  If you notice that your prescription is about to expire or is out of refills, you should call your doctor.  Your doctor essentially works for you, they are more likely to listen to the request of their patient than that of a faxed notice from the pharmacy. 

Retail pharmacy and the invention of the coupon incentive programs have caused endless problems for pharmacy staff.  Transfers require one pharmacy to call another pharmacy and relay important information about a patient’s prescription.  Most people have more than one prescriptions and in the case of transfers between pharmacies, the larger the number of transfers at one time increases the number of mistakes that can be made.  If you must move your prescriptions, move them as you need them instead of as one large order.  We realize that this is inconvenient but it decreases the chances of error, making is safer for you.  Look at the prescription before you leave the pharmacy counter and ask questions about your new medications. Most importantly, know what medications you are taking, be involved in your own health care.

            Pharmacies don’t like to be rushed; it is important to us that we get your prescription right.  There is a process that insures the patient gets the right medication, this process takes time.  Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on our part.  Are you going on vacation?  Please give the pharmacy more than a day, we can help you if we have time.  No birth control pill because you are due for an appointment? “If I get pregnant, I’m bringing the baby to you” isn’t a response that is going to get you what you want.  Please, call your doctor, make an appointment, and they will probably give you enough medication to last until your scheduled appointment.  Are you coming to the pharmacy right before we close?  We understand emergencies but please help us out by bringing the prescription that the doctor wrote you last week a little sooner than five minutes until close.

           All of these scenarios and more can be prevented with a little understanding and patient’s taking responsibility for their own care.  We, the pharmacy staff, are there to help you navigate the confusing insurance, the doctor’s notes, and the medication you’re not really sure about.  We are gracious and forgive the lack of understanding some patients have; it’s the lazy patient that frustrates the most.  Help your pharmacy staff give you the best care possible by being a part of the process rather than treating us like a fast food restaurant.

The Sometimes Scholar

Emerson, in the American Scholar, makes a distinction between the scholar (Man Thinking) and a mere thinker, or worse, the parrot of other men’s thinking.  This contrast can be seen on college campuses and schools across the United States.  There are students who strive to learn at every opportunity and those that merely repeat what they memorized from their teacher/book/peer.  The question is, whose responsibility is it to make sure these creative, ever-learning, original thinkers exist?

                During my second semester of college, I encountered the first teacher that really made me think.  She incorporated many of the characteristics that Emerson mentioned in the American Scholar; she created an environment that fostered creative learning.  I was to write a paper after sitting outside for about an hour, the subject had to come from the nature I experienced in that hour.  Another assignment was writing a paper based on Jonathan Swift’s “Modest Proposal”, I was to write a proposal that was original to solve a problem in the world as I saw it.  These assignments and many more like it from this particular teacher were challenging at the time, but because of them I grew as a student and gained more confidence for other assignments.

                In contrast, my US Politics, History, and Psychology classes were not as engaging.  I would be hard pressed to tell you more than 3 things that I learned from those classes.  I am a good student with a decent memory, so I received excellent scores in all of these subjects.  The reason that I cannot recall any information, in my opinion, is that I am also good at forgetting what I don’t use or care about.  There was more work to do in these online classes than in the aforementioned English class in many ways, but I did not retain any of it.  I remembered enough to take my test, then moved on, leaving the knowledge behind.  I had all the resources I needed to learn and retain; the fault for that loss of information is mine.

                I have given you two examples from the same college experience, one of an American Scholar as Emerson describes and one of just a mere thinker.  My college experience has been one of learning not only about the subject matter presented to me, but of personal growth.  I am learning who I am, what I can do, and where I can improve.  My personal belief is that the responsibility of a person’s college experience rests mostly on them.  I think that it is the teacher’s job to facilitate an environment of learning, but it is up to the student to learn.  Emerson describes a person who is always learning; a man who goes beyond the classroom and lives life creative and curious and thoughtful.  I am the American Scholar, sometimes.