Take Care of Yourself First!
by Charles H. Chandler, D. Min., Executive Director
The last passenger entered the plane and the door was shut. The flight attendant began her speech. She told us to fasten our seat belts, to keep the seat belts fastened while seated even when the seat belt sign was off, pointed to the exits, informed us that the seats cushions also serve as a floatation device, pointed to the overhead area and announced that in the unlikely event of decompression in the cabin, oxygen masks would automatically drop down. Though I had heard the next statement many times, it stood out as never before -"If you are traveling with small children or someone else who needs assistance, place the oxygen mask over your face before placing it over theirs." In essence she said, "Take care of yourself first."
On the surface, that sounds contradictory to our Christian teachings. Most of us have been taught to deny self and focus our attention on the needs of others. How can we justify meeting our need first in case of an emergency on an airplane?
The logic is simple. In the event of an emergency, without oxygen I would be unable to be of help to anyone. It makes sense to take precaution by taking care of yourself in order to maximize your help to others. That's why Paul admonished the Christians at Corinth to take care of their temple (body).
Ministers are often poor stewards at this point. Some of us sacrifice our bodies under the guise of serving God, verbalizing such clichés as "I would rather burn out than rust out" or "God does not take a vacation or a day off."
After eight years of working with ministers in crisis, I am more aware than ever that ministers need a refresher course in realizing their physical health should have a high priority in life, especially when under pressure. A "fit" body goes a long way in helping the mind stay clearly focused. In the Healthy Transitions Wellness Retreats for Ministers and Spouses, we suggest four ingredients for maintaining the temple God has entrusted to you - an exercise program, a healthy nutrition program, maintaining a sense of humor, and a healthy work ethic. These are your "oxygen masks" for taking care of yourself.
Wayne E. Oates coined the term "workaholic." When his book, Confessions of a Workaholic, was published, he touched a responsive chord in the lives of many men and women from varying professions.
Edward Bratcher, author of The Walk-on-Water Syndrome, points out that the need to be successful and the need for approval feed workaholism tendencies found in many religious leaders. The self-imposed need to work harder while in the midst of conflict also exposes a "Messiah complex" found among too many ministers - "I can fix it if I work hard enough and long enough." Bratcher emphasizes his point by citing a study of a cross-section of clergy serving churches in the General Baptist Convention (denomination) that found clergy who worked between 60 and 80 hours per week had more problems and accomplished less than those who worked between 50 and 60 hours.
Bratcher also points out that the theology of the Old Testament, reaffirmed by Jesus, suggests that no one can live a complete life without time for worship, contemplation, and cessation from work. It is imperative to have one day per week for one's own "Sabbath rest." A Sabbatical for renewal and for growth every four or five years for at least two-three months is a must. Some problems may be solved with more work - the mantra of the workaholic - but the "worker" may be destroyed in the process.
The call to "Take care of yourself first" is neither a call to self-centeredness nor a call to laziness. It is a resolve to recognize your humanity. The flight attendant had a point. If you pass out due to lack of oxygen, you will not be of any value to anyone. If ministers "burn out" trying to meet everyone else's needs, they will be of no value to the Kingdom of God or to those they are trying to help.
Put your "oxygen mask" on first. You will be a lot more valuable to others if you do!