Helping the Hurting

"Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves."

                                                                                  ~ Horace Mann

The true nature of a person is seen in how they treat other people who are hurting or vulnerable.
By and large, Americans are generally rushing to help others.
And while this is commendable, we should not break our arms patting ourselves on the back because sometimes, it is those who are Christians who do more harm than good when a tragedy strikes.

Courtesy of BGCT - Disaster Relief

I recently read of an experiment where a person was to place their feet in a bucket of ice-water. These were compared to others in the experiment, who instead of being forced to endure the suffering alone, had someone endure the same treatment with them.
The result was that humans will endure suffering and pain better when we have a companion.
And this is generally true in all aspects of life.

Maybe this is why married people live longer; they endure things better because they like to suffer together. :)
Now, don't go off the deep end, a little humor when speaking of a serious topic never hurt anyone. 

As the Body of Christ, the Church should do no harm to those who are suffering physically, emotionally or mentally; yet, I have often heard and seen many examples where the Church has actually made it worse for those who are enduring a season of suffering and tragedy.

For example, when the Tsunami hit Indonesia a few years ago and killed a quarter of a million people, there were some ministers who gave credit solely to God's wrath against the pagan nations of the region for persecuting Christians.
Personally, I don't think those type of statements did anything to bring reconciliation or ease the persecution of our distressed brothers and sisters in Christ.

Even in our own country we've seen this.
After the attacks on the World Trade Center, a televangelist in Virginia told the world those horrid acts of terrorism was due to the lifestyles and beliefs of... 'the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians...'

Now, I don't know how many people those statements helped, though I believe it is very few. But I do know that his statements received widespread media coverage, and they were damning to the Body of Christ.
The truth is that our words can easily repel much quicker than they can attract.
You see, every person has a reason for tragedy happening to another - often sounding like Job's 'friends.'
But what most people do not have an answer for is when tragedy strikes their own lives.

John Calvin

At the present, my denomination of the Southern Baptist Convention, it seems that there is a struggle within many churches over the theological viewpoint called 'Calvinism,' which takes its namesake from the great reformer, John Calvin.
While there are many good and Godly positions taken by Calvinists, the one thing committed Calvinists strain to explain is catastrophes as an expression of God's Sovereign Will.

Regardless of one's theology, all Christians should turn to  Christ's example in the New Testament and see what He did in such situations.
Jesus never once used "God's Will" in reasoning an explanation when confronted with people who were hurting and suffering.
Jesus didn't lecture people to accept their shortcomings or situations.
Instead, Jesus looked to them with compassion because He knew that humans live in a world that He did not create, but is fallen from His own perfection.

You see, what many fail to realize is that Jesus dealt with people in compassion concerning God's desires for the world, as opposed to God's Will for the world.

When a person dies, we sometimes hear as an explanation, "Well, God needed him home."
The person may very well be walking in heaven with the Lord at the time, but what about his wife and children who are suffering the anguish of a loss?

When a tragedy happens like the shooting at Newtown, Connecticut, or some other horrible tragedy; in an effort to help, some will say, 'There must be a reason God allowed this..."
What they have said is true, there is a reason - but in that moment, there is no reason on earth that could ever make sense at that particular time.

Many times, when a succession of bad things happen, we hear, 'God will not put on us more than we can bear...'
Well, that's true, but it sounds hollow when an individual is at the breaking point in their lives.
But it does help to remember that if you and I are upset about the condition of the planet, just imagine how God feels.

As the Body of Christ, in times of pain and tragedy, we must remember that the comments we make are going to be remembered long after the event.
I know as well as you that everybody, at some point, struggles with what they should say to a person who is hurting.
We want to help, but we ourselves feel helpless in that time as a tool of God under the power of the Spirit.

Yet, there is a person who nailed it.

Boston Marathon

There is a man named Joe Berti; he was blessed enough to have crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon just seconds before the terrorists' bomb exploded.
But his story doesn't end there.
You see, after the race and subsequent questioning, Joe Berti came home to Texas where he witnessed the explosion of a fertilizer plant.

Fertilizer Plant

Twice this man escaped death; some called him lucky, others said he had good Karma, but his wife hit the nail on the head:

"We're grateful God has been merciful to us."

No person could have ever said it better; if we are enduring pain or joy - in both cases there is plenty of room to find the grace and mercy of God.

For example, I know a minister who has been under verbal persecution for a long time. When he left his church after being disrespected and ill-treated in private, rumors began to surface that he had been dating several of the women in the Church he served.
The rumors were, of course, unfounded - no females ever came forward and nobody let his wife know what he was supposedly doing.
It was as if one day he was a Godly man and the next he fell from grace without warning; although it would have been kind of hard for him to hide relationships with 6 women outside of his marriage.
But even with that mess going on around them, he and his wife have never been stronger in their relationship. 
There is a lot of grace and mercy involved as they endure this time together.

As we deal with people who are hurting, they need compassion and comfort from God Himself. 
The truth is that God isn't going to show up, so He sends you and me in His place - and He does come to them through us by the power of His Spirit.
If we allow Him, He will bring comfort to their hurting hearts.

You see, the only way we can respond effectively in such a situation is to do what Jesus did when He found hurting people.
Jesus often fully embraced the tragedy and the people involved as they were enduring the worst circumstances in their lives.

Instead of concentrating on the Seven Deadly Sins that condemn people, maybe it would be helpful for the individual members of the Body of Christ to concentrate on the Seven Works of Mercy:

Feed the Hungry

Give Drink to the Thirsty

Visit the Sick

Clothe the Naked

House the Homeless

Ransom the Captive

Bury the Dead

The only way Christians will ever reclaim society is through these activities because it is through these things where Christ can work His greatest in the most dire situations.
One problem we may have - finding enough Christians who can stay committed to doing these very things.
I say this because many times, I have found a person who engages in these ministries are often criticized for his or her work. 
Although Jesus preferred the company of whores, the poor, sinners, and tax collectors - it is as if doing so to serve God went out with the Apostles.

Friends, in our world today, the Christian faith no longer travels by the words we speak. 
Instead, it moves among people the best through the deeds in which we are engaged.
And that is how you help the hurting - by serving them in the name of Christ.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.