Going the Extra Mile: Would Your Boss Give You a Kidney?

An amazing – and perhaps unprecedented – story occurred in Philadelphia. Rob Fensermaker, a liquor store worker, said his boss gave him the “ultimate gift” when he decided to give him one of his kidneys. The boss, Brian DeAngelis, stands alone in the world of supervision, where most of his peers can barely peep a simple "hello" or a "thank you." Many managers struggle to give a word of encouragement or grant a day off. And it’s the rare boss who is genuinely concerned about a personal condition. So, such a sacrifice of donating a bodily organ is startling.

But it seems that someone has actually one upped DeAngelis. Joshua Phipps, an employee at the Houston, Texas Methodist Hospital gave his boss a kidney. And he wasn’t looking for kudos, despite being called the “ultimate suck-up.” His boss, Charlie Ward, was “stunned” by the offer, which shortened the normal multi-year wait to work his way to the top of the list. The donation saved four hours a day of dialysis. "I told him several times, 'You don't have to do this,' " said Ward. Indeed, he didn’t. What would I do if my boss needed my kidney and I was a match? How would I base my decision? Would the Red Letters of Jesus break through my selfishness?

“Give to the person who asks you for something, and do not turn away from the person who wants to borrow something from you." Would I justify my indecision because I was overlooked, underappreciated, and underpaid? "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two." What about that slight? That nasty thing he said to me? The way he embarrassed me. “Whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.” What would you do?

Article and photo by High Calling Blogger, David Rupert, who blogs at Red Letter Believers.