A Viral Choice

I have spent some considerable time at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis the past few months … some of that time I spent walking the corridors. I learned some things in doing so. Last year the hospital received a #1 ranking in the country for quality and safety. Our experience would add evidence to support that; the hospital is excellent. This year the hospital is celebrating it's 100'th anniversary. To commemorate their centennial, Methodist Hospital constructed a large timeline that spans the corridor from the parking garage to the front entrance:

Interestingly, the timeline does not begin with 1908 (the date of the original hospital’s dedication) but much earlier; 1703 – the birth year of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and ultimately the church in which I am now a pastor. It begins with John Wesley’s Rule:

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
As long as you ever can.

Doing good.

This was the choice of one man that went viral; a choice made 200 years ago that spread through history into the hearts and minds of those who ultimately helped build churches, schools, and missions. It’s the viral choice that ultimately built the hospital that healed my son. It’s a viral choice I have made for my life and I pray God gives me the strength to live out that choice for His glory.