“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.’” Matthew 9:36-38
Understanding Real Help
When congregations encounter, observe, or experience suffering, there’s a common urge to identify the root cause, assign blame, and set about fixing the problem. This instinct is noble and well-intentioned. We seek answers, diagnoses, and prescriptions because we want to name what is wrong, treat the pain, and find some measure of relief.
But rushing to pinpoint the source of a problem and offering unsolicited solutions may not always be productive nor be in the best interest of those most affected. Our charitable inclinations can turn harmful when we begin to see people as problems to be solved, focusing more on our own desire to feel helpful and needed rather than on the individuals themselves.
To avoid this pitfall, pastors and congregations must reorient themselves to see people as people before we see their problems. True compassion requires us to recognize people – not as broken things in need of repair, nor as labels or statistics, but as beloved by God, worthy of love, and deserving of dignity.
Learning from Jesus’ Example
This may seem like a subtle distinction, but it is significant. When Jesus healed, He began by truly seeing people. Then He spoke to them, calling out, “son,” “daughter,” “woman,” “man,” addressing them as individuals rather than defining them by their issues. Jesus did not focus on how people found themselves in their situations; He saw them, spoke to them, and with disciplined compassion, sent His disciples to serve. Often, those He helped were invited to participate in their own healing.
This is the kind of charity that provides genuine assistance. It humanizes rather than problematizes, offering compassion that not only heals but also empowers those who are hurting toward wholeness, going beyond temporary solutions. This is the help that transforms.
As the holidays approach, congregations will feel compelled to do something that is both helpful but also rewarding or satisfying to those offering help. While this impulse is understandable, we must ensure that our desire to be needed does not overshadow the compassion that should drive our actions. Jesus saw, spoke, and then sent His disciples; in the same way, we must strive to see and be seen, speak, and then move into service if we wish to do lasting good. This is the real help that heals and leads to true wholeness. The slow, deliberate work required to lift people in sustainable ways requires building relationships that are often messy, inconvenient, time-consuming, and uncomfortable. Yet, this messy, inconvenient, time-consuming, and uncomfortable work is at the heart of genuine transformation. And it is at the heart of who God is for us in the Christ child who enters our mess and transforms everything.
Questions to consider:
- Seeing Before Solving:
When you encounter someone in need, do you tend to focus first on fixing the problem or on understanding and seeing the person? How might intentionally “seeing” them first change the way you offer help? - Motives in Charity:
Reflect on a time when your desire to help may have been more about feeling useful or needed than anything else? What did you learn from that experience, and how might you approach it differently now? - Following Jesus’ Example:
Jesus’ compassion led Him to see, speak, and then act. What might it look like in your life or ministry context to follow that same pattern of compassion, especially when helping feels inconvenient, uncomfortable, or slow?
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