Breaking the Rules by Doing the Right Thing

I read today of a 911 operator who received an emergency call from a frantic mother whose baby was not breathing. As he assessed the situation and determined that no one present was trained in CPR he had to make a quick, but difficult, decision. He was trained in CPR, but policy said he could not provide assistance in telling the mother how to perform CPR on the infant. If he followed policy the baby would certainly die and if he disobeyed policy he risked losing his job.

What would you do? Don’t answer that question too quickly…

Let me explain why I want you to pause a moment to think this through. I believe that, in many ways, this is precisely the question that Christ followers must answer every day.

We live in a culture that lives in direct contradiction to the lifestyles, desires and expectations of Jesus as taught in Scripture. Are we willing to violate those cultural rules of keeping our beliefs private and speak life to those who need to hear it? Or will we “keep our jobs” and grow silent while knowing a young life likely hangs in the balance?

So, how would you answer that question, now? Will you speak life or stay silent? Will you break the rules and risk losing friends or status in your group? Will you take a chance and save a life?

Just so you know, the 911 operator broke the rules! He talked the mother and grandmother through the process of giving CPR to the infant and saved this precious life. Break some rules! Follow Jesus example!