Serving Others: Reflections from the Hospital to History

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After removing my scrubs, I scan my badge and drop the gray, boxy uniform in the return bin—a routine I do every day before heading home. Then, I change back into my t-shirt and joggers, since I like fitness clothes for two reasons: they’re comfortable and, honestly, it’s in fashion to look athletic. As I head out of the hospital, one of the nurses—just coming off her shift after handing off her patients—stops me and says, “Thank you for helping my patient today.” I tell her, “No problem.” Earlier, one of our members needed help with their co-pay, so I was called to the bedside to see if I could assist. I ended up working with our billing and admissions experts, and roped in other leaders in our organization to help our mutual patient. After the workday, on our way to the parking lot, the same nurse says to me, as a follow-up, “You like to help people, right, Brian? You’re always helping us.” I told her I try to be as helpful as I can. On my way home, I started thinking about the concept of helping others or serving others—something I feel is missing in our nation and communities. Where does serving others, or the idea of being hospitable, stand today? Whether that question can be answered earnestly—and whether I can guide your thinking or shape this traveler's tale—is something only you, the reader, can decide. It may be that faith is a part of serving others.

Faith involves both contemplation and action—reflecting the message of St. James that belief must be expressed through duty to others (The Holy Bible, New International Version, 1999, James 2:26). Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of late former President John F. Kennedy, as highlighted in an interview she had with Eric Metaxas (2019) expressed in her interiew this balance between inward conviction and outward action is a lived reality for her, as well as many Christians. Her father, most profoundly, notably commemorated for his inaugural address in 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). It is a testament to the impact he had not only as a father but also in public service, and to the role faith played in the Kennedy family. Faith and serving others are apolitical. The link to the interview can be found here.

In addition, if we take a moment to paraphrase the 16th-century English chancellor, Francis Bacon, as Bowen (1963) notes in her biography of the impact he had with his philosophical views, declared that some books should be sampled like an appetizer, some swallowed, and others devoured (Bowen, 1963, p. 88). Bacon’s advice stands firm. One such book is the biography of Deidrtich Bonheoffer, by Eric Metaxas.

Imagine living in a world where the systematic purge of human beings—especially those of different races and ideological backgrounds—was orchestrated by a tyrant determined to create a so-called supreme race. This scenario is not difficult to envision, as it was a grim reality on the European front of World War II, less than a century ago. While the horrors of the concentration camps and atrocities committed against German Jews are often taught in elementary history, a lesser-known truth is that among Hitler’s targets were the most marginalized and defenseless—those who were infirm, weak, or ill, including hospital patients and the convalescing.

According to Metaxas (2010, p. 184), who wrote extensively on the historical significance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Hitler described those needing care in hospitals as “needless feeders” and “unfit to live.” Some of Hitler’s most brazen acts involved pressuring hospitals to surrender their sick and ill, so they could be “put out of their misery.” This makes clear that Hitler’s tyranny targeted not only those of Jewish heritage, but also the vulnerable, and that his regime was fundamentally opposed to the church in which Christian views were made real by caring for the sick and needy. In the face of such evil, Bonhoeffer—a German Christian—stood in opposition to the Third Reich.

Is it not a great privilege to live in a country where tyrants do not rule, where we truly have freedoms that many other nations do not? If there is a strong correlation to those who have served, is it not because of great sacrifice, a sense of duty, and community that we enjoy such freedoms? The stark contrast between John F. Kennedy’s leadership and Hitler’s style of government is understated and not the intent of this dialogue, but what Eric Metaxas makes clear is how Bonhoeffer—a German Christian, despite being caught up in the diabolical environment of Germany at the time—clung to his faith and sense of service. Giving up his life for his convictions, Bonhoeffer’s example is a higher calling to those of us who profess the Christian faith.

According to some, those in positions of power and influence can be either loved or feared by their constituents, employees, or citizens, since people are, by nature, both inclined to obey and resistant to authority (Bass, 2008, pp. 51-55). Leadership styles and influence vary, but servant-style leadership—putting others' needs first—tends to resonate more with some than with others. Robert Greenleaf’s theory of servant leadership encourages leaders to set aside ego and self-interest in favor of serving others. Embracing the responsibility of being dutiful is a virtue of leadership and a character trait that may be lacking in some, but not all. Though we need not be national political figures, we can each strive to serve others through small acts of help and kindness, no matter our time or place.

References:

Bass, B. M. (2008). Models and Theories of Leadership. In The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, & Managerial Applications (4th ed., pp. 47-78). essay, Simon & Schuster.

Bowen, C. D. (1963). Francis Bacon: The temper of a man. Little, Brown.

National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.). President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address (1961). https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-john-f-kennedys-inaugural-address

Metaxas, E. (2019). Caroline Kennedy: Life, Work, and Leadership | Socrates in the City.https://socratesinthecity.com/watch/caroline-kennedy/

Metaxas, E. (2010). Bonhoeffer: pastor, martyr, prophet, spy. Thomas Nelson.

The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1999). Cornerstone Bible Publishers.

The Real Measure of Privilege: Why We Get It Wrong?

 

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In the spring of 1995, our MEU anchored off the eastern coast of Africa, just below the Horn—about 10 to 12 miles from shore, close enough to see land clearly on the horizon. Our area of operations was the region around Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, just north of the equator. I remember the weather: warm, with rolling clouds reminiscent of Texas skies, but without the oppressive humidity I knew from home. The ocean breeze was salty and soft, the sea itself calm. From the flight deck of the USS Ogden, our amphibious transport dock, the mood was quiet and focused—a rare stillness before Naval flight and LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) operations began. That day, everything felt routine. The ship, affectionately called our “rust bucket,” drifted peacefully as we awaited orders to go ashore.

Prior to the beach landing and Operation United Shield, our days were structured and repetitive: wake up, do PT, eat chow, do live-fire weapons training off the aft deck, eat chow, do gear and weapons maintenance, eat chow, and do a couple of fast-rope drills from CH-46 helicopters to kill time. We made sure our Humvees were ready to roll at a moment’s notice; however, physical training helped manage stress and keep our nerves steady as we waited for the final hour.

Looking back on that operation and the experience some thirty years ago, I began to reflect on what it really means to be privileged. My time in the Marines forced me to consider privilege in new ways—not just as a matter of material advantage, but as a collection of opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges that shaped my character. Later in life, with more body fat around my waist and more white tinting my beard, I have found myself questioning what it truly means to possess privilege, especially when comparing my circumstances to those of the people of Somalia. While I was born in a country with freedoms and liberties, many in Mogadishu were burdened by civil war and the daily struggle to secure basic necessities like clean water, food, and safety. In places where government and diplomacy are absent, and power is held by the corrupt and violent, basic human rights are stripped away. As scholars have pointed out, it is unjustifiable when some enjoy comfort and resources while others suffer intolerable deprivation (Edwards, 1967, p. 198). What does it actually mean to come from privilege?

According to Webster’s, privilege is a special right or benefit granted to a person (Kauffman, 1989, p. 270). Some might say my service in the Marines was a privilege, though I volunteered at eighteen, nudged by my father to find direction. Yet, when most people talk about privilege, they’re usually referring to advantages conferred by birth—family name, inherited wealth, or social status. Another perspective sees privilege as a liberty or status assigned to someone simply because of where they were born or the community they belong to (Edwards, 1967, p. 195). As a native Texan, I never felt I was born into privilege.  

My family has no notable ancestry or special status—our name is ordinary, and our story is unremarkable. Privilege, for me, was never something handed down; it was something I had to work for. Yet the more I reflect, the more I realize that simply being born in a place of relative peace and opportunity is itself a kind of privilege—one that millions are denied through no fault of their own.

Maybe true privilege isn’t about wealth or status, but about recognizing the responsibilities that come with our advantages, however modest they may seem. If we can acknowledge this, perhaps we can do more to make sure opportunities and basic rights are accessible to everyone. That, to me, is the real challenge—and the real measure—of privilege in our world today.

References:

Edwards, P. (1967). Rights. In The encyclopedia of philosophy (Vol. 7, pp. 1-545). Macmillan company & the Free Press.

Kauffman, L. (1989). Webster’s dictionary. Webster’s Dictionary. https://archive.org/details/bwb_S0-CCA-267/page/270/mode/2up