Christ-followers working in healthcare fields 鈥渄o not have to check Jesus at the door when we clock into work,鈥� said physician and prolific author Dr. Walt Larimore. Instead, he urges workers to become 鈥渆veryday missionaries wherever God plants you.鈥�
Speaking Feb. 17 at a Gregory Center for Medical Missions forum, Larimore provided advice he鈥檚 developed over 41 years as a family physician. Dr. Dana Strachan, dean of the , told forum attendees Larimore has shared his wisdom in 41 books, 30 medical textbook chapters and numerous television shows. Among his award-winning books is 鈥淕oing Public With Your Faith: Becoming A Spiritual Influence At Work.鈥�
Larimore recalled guidance he received from his pastor鈥檚 wife when he was in college considering a medical career: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not really a career in medicine; it鈥檚 a call to a ministry of healing.鈥�
This ministry, said Larimore, has a spiritual component grounded in prayer. Praying for his patients became a daily discipline for him.
But before sharing spiritual matters with a patient, the healthcare professional must earn the right to be heard, he said. And the first requirement is 鈥渢o be excellent in your work: do everything you do as unto the Lord.鈥�
Often Larimore found that patients would 鈥渙pen the door鈥� to talk about spiritual things, and they would be excited to learn their physician prays. From his 鈥減re-op鈥� checklist, he had nurses ask about allergies, family histories, etc., and end with the question 鈥淲ould you like the doctor to pray with you?鈥�
鈥淥nce I started doing that,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 only had one patient say no.鈥�
Larimore urged practitioners to go through their day being sensitive to the patient and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. When you find a patient open to a spiritual conversation, he said, then it鈥檚 appropriate to explore spiritual topics. He alluded to 1 Peter 3:15-16, which calls for Christians to be ready to tell their own faith stories when people ask.
鈥淔or those of you who are in the workplace, are people asking about your faith?鈥� he asked. If not, 鈥渕aybe your life isn鈥檛 attractive, and your 鈥榮alt鈥� not flavorful. And when they do ask, it鈥檚 a holy moment.鈥� That鈥檚 the time to share, with gentleness and respect, not in a pushy, arm-twisting manner, he said.
The Scripture doesn鈥檛 call upon Christ-followers to convict people, Larimore said. 鈥淏ut our job is to meet people and love them, joining God in His work and leaving the results to Him.鈥�
Photo: Dr. Walt Larimore gave advice for how to share your faith when working in healthcare during the Gregory Center for Medical Missions forum Feb. 17 in the DeSantis Family Chapel.
