Are you better than average?

Despite the challenges and shortcomings I’m still proud of Britain’s National Health Service. I don’t know how you think it ranks in the world these days but I still regard it as one of the positives of living in Britain.

The chart above (minus my editorial text) comes from a tool on the BBC website that says Check NHS cancer, A&E and operations targets in your area . It shows where my local health trust compares to others in Britain and to national targets in respect to waiting times in the Accident and Emergency department (what some other countries call the E.R.). Sadly while we’re above national average we’re still below the target (to see 95% of people within 4 hours of arrival)  and the target is still below the ideal (no waiting).

Targets and comparisons have value in healthcare as in any other service or industry. The challenges are are not making what is measured become the focus at the expense of other things that might not be being measured, and in knowing what to do when targets are not met.

While I’m interested in the NHS and health targets in my own country, as a missionary, and firstly as a Christian I’m also interested in the rest of the world too, not in whether or not Britain can better but whether the world can better and how the church (not just in my country) can be part of God’s plan for the whole world.

Targets and measures also exist in the ministry of Bible translation and should to some extent exist in other areas of the church. There are apps to help you measure and improve you spiritual health or to monitor you success as a church. If we know what we’re trying to achieve or who we are trying to become scorecards and checklist can be among the tools that help us to know if we are on track, as long as we are careful to measure the right things, and not neglect some of the other good things that we are not measuring.

There are definitely a few things in scripture about not judging and about not thinking ourselves better than others, but there is also a lot said about living holy lives and holding one another to account.

The aim is not to belittle others or to encourage ourselves that we’re doing okay and aren’t any worse than anyone else but to build one another up.

The temptation for those who err on the side of not judging is that we can slide into thinking, like some of the churches Paul wrote to, that anything goes now that we are free in Christ.

The temptation for those who do seek to promote standards of behaviour or solid doctrine is that we often judge ourselves on our intentions and everyone else on their actions. We also fail to see the logs in our own eyes and in pointing out the specks in others we end up grinding down some of the people we are meant to be lifting up.

If you are looking for answers to know where the balance lies then perhaps this is a below average blog.

Feel free to mark this out of 10 and add a comment that edifies and encourages us all.