Cut the Unnecessary

“Nurse Rcubes, what are you doing here? Why don’t you just rest and sleep there [unit 15]?,” asked the medical secretary.

I was scheduled to be the nurse in a unit [15] that housed inmates with special medical and mental health needs. On a Saturday night, it was typically quiet and there were not many things to do as no one would be going to court on Sunday mornings. The day medications were usually given by the day shift nurse. Pulling the meds was not necessary anymore as our facility has a million-dollar worth machine that pulls all the inmates’ meds in a shorter span of time than by doing it manually by the LVN’s or medication nurses.

If there was anything to be done, it was only to take a history if there was any admission from the prison’s Intake or if there were any discharges in the middle of the night, to make sure that if inmates have a mental health problem, that there would be a designated person to pick them up, either from their own family members or a board and care type of facility.

After preparing the treatments scheduled for the day shift nurse, there was nothing to do anymore. I cleaned up the station. But still, I had 7 hours remaining. I knew a lot of nurses who just slept during that time. But not me…

I don’t like to sit around nor waste time. And I am grateful for this job that the Lord had given me. I called the charge nurse and asked for her permission if I could go over the Infirmary and help them out. She was thankful because it was busy with some doctor’s orders remaining in our bins.

When I walked into the door, that was when that secretary asked me that question.

But I felt good doing so. Knowing that I wasn’t pleasing anyone but Someone Who doesn’t sleep Himself. The night was young but it felt good to be productive and be able to be of help with my co-workers.

The Lord truly is the only One Who can change our hearts. And I am still a big work in that department. But I know that I can never repay what He did for me. Serving Him is the least that I can do.

If there are areas in my life that are not necessary, I want to cut them and be done with them. They just slow me down with the way I serve the Lord. I know I still have much to learn but I pray that the Lord will prune whatever is not pleasing Him, one by one. And that I would remain alert at all times, to not let anything choke my growth in Him.

Pruning is not a pleasant process but doing so, makes my Christian walk to flourish. Thanks be to God for His Word that is sharp that can remove the unwanted branches in my life.

John 15:1-2 - “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”

John 15:4 - “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.”

John 15:5-8 - “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined with me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings glory to my Father.”

Apart from Christ, our efforts are unfruitful…