In many of my conversations with godly Christians of late there has been a common theme.
It has been noted by numerous folks that we, the church, have been doing a pretty poor job at ministering to people in true need.
What do you mean Jason!? Our church preaches truth every week from our pulpit and our church leadership is faithful and without reproach!
I appreciate and even applaud the preaching of truth. It is necessary. Also, the leadership of a church needs to be blameless and without reproach.
But we the church are a group of broken people. May we never forget that.
I have heard testimony after testimony about people who have been in difficult situations---dire situations.
I am talking about people who's lives have been ripped about by infidelity or who's dreams are shatter due to the death of a child.
I have talked to these people who are hurting and broken.
I, myself, am often one of these hurting and broken people.
Here's where it gets sticky.
Time after time the story plays out the same: nobody from the church reached out to me.
I talked to somebody who was wronged recently---in a very devastating and life-altering way. This person did not commit sin but was wronged. The response from her local church body was this...silence.
Really?
I wish I could say this was an isolated incident. This year (it's January) I have already heard countless stories in the same vein.
Let it not be so in the Jesus Revolution...
Let us, instead, remember it was Jesus who went to the places and the people the Pharisees ignored. May we be like The Real Jesus of Nazareth who did not worry about how associating with certain people or groups might affect His social standing.
May we never forget that Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted.
Please, I implore you! I implore myself! I am as guilty as any!
Be the one who ministers to that refugee family who doesn't have a friend at all in this country.
Be the one who reaches out to the person going through a divorce---even if they are at fault!
Be the one to show the love of Christ to the post-abortive young woman. Don't condemn her!
Be the one to reach out to that alcoholic man or woman who really needs a touch from the King of Kings!
We are the Body of Christ.
May we let Him work through us.
-Jason Vreeke
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