As recently as the 1950s, having a baby was a risky proposition. One in thirty births ended badly until an anesthesiologist named Virginia Apgar developed a system to rate how newborns were doing. She focused on five key areas (appearance, pulse, the reflex action or grimace, activity or muscle tone and respiration). She encouraged doctors and nurses to rate each child on a scale of zero to three for each quality. A score of 10 or more meant that the baby was healthy; 4 or lower indicated that the baby needed immediate intervention.
While numerous other medical advances have occurred over the years, all agree that Apgar’s rating system had a huge impact. Her scoring system is still used today, and the mortality rate has improved to one in every 500 births. Virgina Apgar did not introduce anything new. Her system simply helped the medical personnel assess what they were dealing with and see what was in front of them.
I have often thought that it would be helpful for us to have a Spiritual Apgar Score. Not a test. Rather a reminder would help us see the blessings that promote spiritual health, strength and vitality. Maybe this little verse would point us in the right direction. Hebrews 3:1 says, “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest”. I like this verse because it underlines three gifts that we share.
First, it describes us: We are holy brothers and sisters. In other words, we are a family. Second, it gives us a purpose and a goal for which to live: We have a heavenly calling. Our life is about more than just here and now. Third, it gives us something to do: set your thoughts on Jesus.
These blessings are not new, but they are important. They can give us hope. They can direct our thoughts and help our decision-making. They can rearrange our priorities so that we are shaped like Christ.
Success does not always come by discovering something new. As Virginia Apgar demonstrated, sometimes we simply need to focus on what is right in front of us.
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