Pride

"Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men" -Colossians 3:23

Pride is a word that is used a lot in the fire service. It embodies the type of worker we should all aspire to be. A firefighter that takes pride in his/her job arrives early for every shift, in uniform, and does every task to the best of his/her ability. They take pride in the job even when those around them don't.

Recently deceased firefighter, Kenneth Stavinoha, a believer in Christ, modeled what it looks like to take pride in his job and in turn honored God with his work. His officers tell of a man who arrived every morning at 5:30 ready to work. They say he could always be found working and learning. Occasionally he missed a meal because he was working. He wanted to stay busy. He would drive his first in territory and to and from hospitals on his off days so he would be fast and efficient when his turn came to drive. He knew lives depended on it. When rain kept the previous shift from doing their "yard day," he took pride in the appearance of his station and volunteered to work on it. This would be his last act on earth, doing his job with his "whole being." Kenny embodied pride.

If you are a Christian, the Bible calls you to a higher standard of work ethic- "for the Lord." It is great to be self motivated. Self motivated firefighters are the backbone of the department. It is even better to recognize that God has blessed us with life, physical health, and this job, so we choose to do our best and honor Him with a solid unwavering work ethic. Working to the best of our ability is an act of worship to the God who died for us.

-Captain Bobby Delgado

HFD Chaplain