Once upon a time there was a janitor. This janitor worked at a hospital. This janitor was a highly esteemed and valued member of the hospital. This janitor worked harder than anyone! Even when the janitor had intense hardships happening in her life she always carved out time to serve others! Even when this janitor had no margin in her life, she somehow made time to take extra shifts to clean bed pans and mop the floors at the hospital. Then, one day, this janitor got cancer. The oncologists ran some tests and officially diagnosed the janitor with inoperable Stage 3A adenocarcinoma. The janitor said, “I don’t agree with your diagnosis. I believe that my membership at this hospital means that I am a servant of others with cancer, but my membership does NOT mean that I will agree with your diagnosis or submit to you as my physicians!” The oncologists asked, “Are you sure that you don’t want to accept our diagnosis and submit yourself to our treatment?” The janitor said, “I will run myself ragged serving other people in this hospital, but I will not consent to being a patient in this hospital.”

Membership in a hospital = [a] serving others, and [b] submitting to treatment