Slug

"Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys." -Proverbs 18:9

"Slug" is one of those names that you do not want attached to you in the fire department. Hard work is an essential asset of anyone wishing to succeed in the fire service. While cleaning toilets as a young "tabber" at Station 12, my captain told me that I would go far in the fire department if I kept up my work ethic. My chief at Station 82 made it a point to instruct me not to be like the previous rookie, who earned the notorious label "slug." As an officer it is easy to see that the best firefighters are the ones who are always working. Hard work ensures that everything is in a state of readiness for whatever the shift may throw at you. Simply put by someone, hard work pays off. 

One of the keys to life is not being afraid of work and getting our hands dirty. We should relish the opportunity to put forth our best effort in whatever we do, "as unto the Lord(Colossians 3:23)." Every wake up call is a chance to do God's work. Maintaining relationships takes work. Repairing damaged ones, even more work. Staying connected to God does take work on our part. Loving your neighbor, yup, takes work. Loving your enemy, serious work. Racial reconciliation, you guessed it, takes work. Changing your world, a lifetime of work.  

The implications of being a slacker are related to destruction. Consider unkempt yards, dilapidated homes, failing relationships, preventable diseases, financial struggles, societal unrest, divided communities, and feeling distant from God. A slack attitude in life leads to loss at every corner and is downright sinful to those around us and to God. Start with putting in the work of knowing and loving God. In turn, He will guide you in putting in the work of loving your spouse, children, neighbor(everyone), enemy, and world. Then and only then will we see true transformation. 

May the LORD bless you and keep you!

Senior Captain Bobby Delgado

HFD Chaplain

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