When I have the opportunity to lecture at law enforcement chaplaincy training conferences, I often tell new chaplains that they can expect to go through the same emotional cycle that most police officers experience. It looks like this:
When you first begin working with people on the streets in a variety of crisis events you are ready to save the world. In the case of an officer, you are going to put every bad guy in a jail for a very long time. Chaplains are going to rescue people from all of their difficulties permanently. I call this first stage rookie-itis.

Eventually you come to the stark and perhaps very unpleasant realization that you are not going to save the world. The bad guys will bond out of jail before the paperwork pertaining to their arrest is finished. The second stage sets in: I call it the cynical stage. You get to the point that you don’t like people anymore. Everybody in your mind is a bad guy. Everyone lies all of the time. It becomes difficult to see the better side of human nature. People have no problem calling the chaplain every name that they would cause my mother to wash my mouth out with soap when I was a boy.

And then you read the third and final stage. It is the realism stage. You are no longer striving to be some kind of super hero. You are acutely aware of your shortcomings and limitations. But you still want to help people. You are willing to concede that there really are decent human beings in the world. And most importantly, you know that it takes teamwork to help people in a meaningful way.
I have been a law enforcement chaplain for almost 20 years now. I try to spend most of my time in this stage. Sometimes I need periodic reminders that teamwork is of utmost importance.

This morning one of the officers called me to assist with a welfare check call at Walmart. She had discovered two elderly gentlemen living in their car on the Walmart parking lot. One of them is confined to a wheel chair. Diabetes is ravaging his body. They have no ties to Granbury whatsoever. Neither of these men have the ability to read or write. They are a part of America’s homeless population that is facing the hard realities of aging on the streets.

I reminded them in a gentle manner what the officer told them prior to my arrival. Panhandling is not allowed in the city of Granbury. I was also forced to inform them that our community does have a homeless shelter of any kind. Ironically I had discussed that very fact with the city manager just yesterday.

After a quick huddle, the officer and I decided to fill their car with gas, buy their lunch at Wendy’s and purchase a few groceries for them that they can take on the road. We both hated that we could not do more for them.

I went left the parking lot at Walmart feeling that thankful that I could something.
Most importantly I felt grateful to serve with officers who genuinely care about the welfare of others. In some cases, it is not safe to reach out to strangers. The officer was able to run their names to determine if the individuals possessed any outstanding criminal warrants. I could do my job and feel secure.

It really takes a lot of teamwork to accomplish any kind of service that is meaningful. The emotional cycle will fluctuate quite a bit, but serving with capable people makes even the most difficult circumstances far more bearable. Do you want be an effective servant? Find some good partners. God will bless everyone involved.