I just began reading God in the Alley, by Greg Paul a pastor ministering in the inner-city of Toronto. He's the pastor of Sanctuary community. And speaking about being present in our world he says...
"...I need to learn how to truly be among the people to whom I am sent, as Jesus was among us. The character of my presence needs to be like his. I am sometimes struck by thoughts of the hundreds of lepers Jesus did not heal, the thousands of people who died of ridiculous little infections during his lifetime, the blind or lame beggars who missed his passing by a few hundred yards or a few minutes. He healed so few! And I, who can heal no one, am reminded that being his presence does not mean fixing everything...Being among people means being in their midst, not outside. It means being with them, not being over them. It means not looking away from their agony or humiliation, but beholding it, and having the courage to be also wounded by their pain."
...and what do those words say to you?
Posted by: Ian...as you pointed out this part of the book, what is God saying to you??
Posted by: IanI'm a fixer...when someone speaks to me about something, my brain automatically turns to fix it mode. This reminded me of two things...sometimes there's no easy or no fix for the people who are in our lives. Still our calling is to be present (Jesus to them) in the people's lives that God places in our path, regardless of their circumstances.
Posted by: edEd, as you read his book, are there any questions you would have for Greg Paul?
The people he got involved with that died, did you wonder if they were saved? I did. I read it and after he writes about how certain people died, I found myself asking "Is that it?" Is there more to the story? Did you articulate the gospel to them? Do you know that they were saved before they died?
Did you have similar questions as you read it or are reading it?
Posted by: georgeI had just begun reading it when I posted, I'm just about half-way and no one's died yet, so I really can't comment on your question. Let me say this though...someone told me that they weren't into helping the needy anymore because they grew up in a family that helped the need, even welcomed them into their home only to see them walk away and never come to a "saving faith". And so this individual didn't really see what his parents did as being "valuable". That bothers me some, we're supposed to be Christ to people whether they ever come to faith or not. It's a tragedy if they don't. But our reason for loving has always got to be because we were first loved, not because we will be loved, or that they will love God.
So, understand, I haven't gotten that far into the book where anyone's died, to really comment...that's just a principle that guides my own serving. I do hope for and long to see people come to Christ and follow him, but I serve them because Christ served me, whether they ever follow him or not.
Posted by: ed