HRO: (10) Love, the Most Excellent Way

At the end of 1 Corinthians 12 in verse 31 (which seems to trickle oddly over into chapter 13 – the monks who divided our chapter and verse sections sometimes seemed asleep at the quill), we find this statement “But eagerly desire the greater gifts.  And now I will show you the most excellent way.”  What is that “most excellent way”, the way we should eagerly desire, the element that should be integral to each and every other good gift?  Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is the famous “Love” chapter, used glibly and ad nauseum in wedding ceremonies.  Rarely are chapters 12 and 13 looked at together or read together—certainly the weeping bride and the groom with the sappy smile are not simultaneously thinking about the Body of Christ or the gifts of prophecy, administration or healing.  But we should read these two chapters together—it is love that is the “most excellent way.”  

At the heart of how High Reliability Organizational principles are being applied in medicine is a desire for “zero harm”—to never cause avoidable harm to patients who come to us for help and healing.  The practice of medicine has always had as central tenet “first do no harm.” Hospitals were first built by Christian people, by church organizations recognizing the desperate needs of humanity for assistance, comfort, nourishment, and relief from suffering.  “Hospital” shares the same etymology as “hospitality” and “hotel”; a hospital was a place where suffering strangers received care.  Prior to establishment of hospitals by early Christians, it was common practice in the ancient world for sick and dying individuals to be abandoned to their fate; medicine as it was previously practiced was primarily for the wealthy, and primarily about treating symptoms vs actually providing healing.  The “most excellent way” of love was foundational to the establishment of hospitals as they currently exist in modern medicine.  

We are striving to become Highly Reliable and to prevent patient harm; we are part of a profession established to support healing, relieve suffering and provide comfort; we are part of The Body of Christ, a unit of uniquely gifted individuals working in concert to give God glory and serve His people.  “The most excellent way” of love should be both the motivator and the overarching style by which we accomplish our goals of reliable, safe patient care.

In 1 John 3, John defines love by pointing to the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ:  “This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”  (1 John 3: 16-18).  This is our motivator:  Jesus Christ died for us to bring us into a right relationship with God, to atone for our sins, reconcile us to God’s holiness, and give us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.  And He died not just for us, but for all people; our actions in this world are motivated by the love of Christ; we live out His love for others, for the “brother in need.”  Each of us can walk through the wards, down the hallways, into the exam rooms and waiting rooms of our hospitals and clinics—those rooms are full of “brother[s] in need.”  Those of us in the profession of medicine—not just physicians, but all of us serving to provide compassionate care to the sick and injured—are privileged to share in the exhausting work of caring for God’s people in need.  It is exhausting, but we are called to “lay down our lives”; framed in that way, the sacrifices of self we make carry more meaning than simply meeting a business plan or earning a paycheck.  

Love is our motivator—living out the love of Christ—but love is also our style, our “most excellent WAY.”  Paul had just finished listing talents (1 Cor 12: 27, 28) which are important and good, gifts from God for the furthering of His kingdom.  We recognize the characteristics listed in 1 Corinthians 12: 27, 28 and 13: 1-3 as having value, abilities for which we pray and to strive to develop; the world recognizes these gifts as worthy of recognition and remuneration.  1 Corinthians 13 repeats his list of useful gifts from chapter 12 with more detail, describing charismatic communication skills, strategic vision (ok, “prophecy”), acumen and insight (“ …the ability to fathom all mysteries…. and knowledge”), powerful faith, incredible generosity and willingness to sacrifice self.  The value of these things is obvious, but when they are not paired with love, they are worthless.  The motivator is the love of God in Christ; the style, the flavor, the method, the setting and common theme, is love.  Strong and charismatic communication, vivid strategic vision, insightful business acumen and willingness to work long hours in service to organizational goals…but without the love of God as motivator and “way”…results in a clanging symbol worth nothing.  

Back to our principles of an HRO.  We are striving to be alert, collectively mindful, preoccupied with failure; to resist the temptation to simplify and to instead by discerning and wise; to be sensitive to operations, to be mindful and attentive; to be committed to resilience, to make space for repentance and forgiveness; to defer to expertise and respect the contributions of each member of the Body.  All of this alertness, discernment, sensitivity, wisdom, resilience and deference mean nothing without love.  

What is the “style” of love?  What does this look like, how do we apply it and live it out?  Paul helps us out there as well:  love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude or self-seeking, not easily angered, doesn’t hold grudges, rejects evil but rejoices in truth.  Love protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.  Pull those characteristics into your workplace, into your safety huddles and staff meetings: preoccupation with failure that rejects evil, is not rude and is not easily angered; reluctance to simplify that is patient and always protects; sensitivity to operations that is kind and rejoices in the truth; commitment to resilience that doesn’t hold grudges and always hopes; deference to expertise that trusts, is not proud or self-seeking.  

What would this workplace climate feel like? How would patient care, both quality and safety, be positively impacted by people committed not only to specific principles, but to the “most excellent way” of love?  How would it impact the morale, the level of cooperation, the personal resilience, the retention, the level of engagement, attentiveness and responsiveness, the management burden of that organization?  I want to work in a place that looks like that.  I want to be part of transforming my organization not just with these High Reliability Principles, but with the principles of wisdom and of love which I know I can bring to work with me every day.  

As Christians, we have the privilege of serving God’s people on earth. While we know that our work will be difficult and dangerous, that it will be hindered and complicated by the burden of sin, we also know that God has given us forgiveness and the promise of eternity in Christ.  He has also given us His Spirit, one of power, self-discipline and love (2 Timothy 1: 7).  With His Spirit, He blesses us with diverse gifts each suitable for our individual callings and challenges.   We can do all things in Him who strengthens us, to include the daily work to which we are called.

1)      Contrast the sometimes squishy, feel-good definition of love often used, with the sacrificial death of Christ as the definition of love?  How does the biblical, Christ-centered definition of love strengthen you for the hard work of life?

2)      Have you seen HRO principles acted out without the motivator and “most excellent way” of love?  What did that look like and what was the desired versus actual outcome?

3)      How does your hospital (or clinic or other medical environment) live out its heritage as a place where strangers receive care, a place of hospitality?  Are there areas in your scope which could be made more compassionate and hospitable? How is hospitable care also safe care?

4)      Review 1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 8a.  These are facets of love lived out; the ability to love like this comes only from God.  Meditate on this passage with a heart of repentance for where you have rejected love; prayerfully ask both for forgiveness and for the Spirit of God to empower you to live out God’s love every day.