When I was a young preacher, I thought I had to have the answer for everyone's problems. I studied hard, dug deep for biblical insights, filled a personal library with the books I read on theology and psychology, took every faith-based seminar I could, earned enough degrees to be a thermometer - I was the answer man; so I thought.
As a maturing minister, I came to believe that people didn't need me to provide the answer, rather they needed help finding the answer. So, I began to point them to the Truth and the Spirit of Christ found in the biblical text, in faith-based concepts and in life's experiences. I sought to point them to the Answer: Jesus.
As a grey-haired chaplain, I have finally come to understand that I am not to have the answer nor point to the answer, I am to be the answer. I am to roll up my sleeves, step into the muck another finds himself in and let the Spirit of Christ minister to him through me. As The apostle John put it, "This is how love is made complete among us...in this world we are to be like Jesus" (1 Jn 4:17).
Do you remember WWJD - what would Jesus do? It really was the answer and it still is. We are to be disciples and disciples follow in the steps of the Master - they do what Jesus would do. When someone is struggling, don't just tell them what to do or where to find help, love them like Jesus and get in there with them, helping them along the way.
Jus' Sayn.
This is an encore post (translation - I forgot I already wrote on this subject). However, the presentation is new and, I think, improved.
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