Stay in your lane

For those of you who endured the agony of nursing school, I am going to say two words that will rain dread down on your soul: Care Plans.If you are not familiar with this particular type of torture, I will explain. Beginning with the first semester of nursing school (way back in the mid 70s), my classmates and I were introduced to a teaching tool called a care plan.We were required to do an extensive care plan on each patient. On these care plans we would list each of the patient diagnoses and medical problems. Then we would add the appropriate treatments along with the rationale as to why this treatment was necessary and how it worked to help the patient.It was a useful tool in that it helped us learn not only the effective treatments for each ailment but also why the treatments worked (in theory). But after doing hundreds of care plans, we were over it! Oh, how we learned to hate them.I just checked with a friend who is still in nursing school and care plans are still used today because they are instructional. Back then, each care plan was individualized to each patient —no two were alike.It was useful in school but when I graduated and took a job at the hospital, care plans went out the window. Nobody had time for that on a busy med-surg floor. We were lucky to have time to wolf down a quick lunch, let alone get a bathroom break.Over the years there were attempts by administration to resurrect care plans. This usually lasted about a week before it went by the wayside again. Idealism meets Reality. By now you are probably asking "What has this got to do with a devotional column?" Glad you asked.God has a care plan specifically designed for each of His children. He has gifted us all with unique talents, spiritual gifts, callings, personalities and circumstances. As humans, we are adept at constantly comparing ourselves with others. And social media has elevated this to a whole new level.Our lives and service are uniquely and lovingly crafted by our Omniscient Lord who loves us and has a purpose for us for the upbuilding of His Kingdom. We shouldn't be looking at someone else's service or talents with envy or disdain.In John 21:21-22, Jesus told Peter that he would be a martyr for his faith when he is old. Peter pointed to John and said, "What about him?" Jesus chided Peter and basically told him to mind his own business and not worry about what anyone else was doing.He told Peter to run the race he had been given and let John run his own race. In other words: "Stay in your lane." So when you go to church (or scroll through your favorite social media page) and are tempted to compare your life and calling with others, remember that you have a personalized care plan, unique to you and given by a loving Father.So stay in your lane and do the work He has lovingly called you to do WITH JOY!