Watered Down Compassionate Ministries and Services

Do we have watered-down compassionate ministries in our churches?

Do we have watered-down compassionate services in our governments and civil societies?


I think we do. I know we do. I don't blame us for doing it, but I do want to bring this thought to our attention because we need to change. We need to change our attitudes and mindsets about compassionate ministries.

Picture this. You are in a hospital in the emergency room. There is only one doctor who is working. Anybody who comes in has to go to the doctor to receive help. A man comes in with a twisted ankle. He rolled it playing sports, and it is hurting pretty bad. The doctor begins to examine him when someone else comes in through the doors. This man has just been shot in the chest. He could barely drag himself into the emergency room. He is bleeding everywhere, and he is about to die. But the doctor doesn't help him at all. He barely glances over at the man before he continues working on the first man's ankle. The second man soon passes out on the floor due to loss of blood, but the doctor keeps right on working on that ankle. After an hour or so, the doctor is finished helping the man with his ankle. The man is very appreciative and thanks the doctor profusely. That nite the doctor goes home with a satisfied smile on his face because of the way that he helped that man's ankle.

WHAT?????? ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? What a misguieded doctor, right??????????

Well, don't judge too much yet: that is how a lot of our compassionate ministries function.


I can barely understand how we can prioritize our time, resources, and effort on solving the almost inconsequential problems in our communities when there are literally millions of people dying around the world. But what I cannot understand at all is how we do this and walk away satisfied that we are actually accomplishing all that we need to! Isn't this just like that doctor?

We are watering down our compassionate ministries and services. We are kidding ourselves into thinking that we are accomplishing big social justice things when in reality we are only fixing an ankle. There are people dying in the world. There are people who will die tonite if we do not help them. There are gigantic problems that need gigantic answers or else millions of people will die. People are suffering and being abused all over the world. And yet we are getting excited about after-school tutoring in a local elementary school?

Seriously, I am not saying that anything is wrong with after-school tutoring in a local elementary school. I am not saying that the "ankle" isn't important. But I am saying this: We are kidding ourselves into thinking that we are accomplishing compassionate ministries when there are people who truly need our help that we are ignoring - and this is wrong.

We are watering down our compassionate ministries and celebrating pre-season victories like they are the superbowl. This is not right. This is not what we should be doing.

We need to change our mindset. Compassionate ministries and services should start with those who need the most help. We need to serve those who need help the most. We need to go to the very least and the very lost. We need to help those who cannot help themselves at all. This is true compassionate ministries.

And, yes, it is hard. And, yes, we will fail a lot. And, yes, there might not be much difference and much to clap about. But that is where we are needed. That is where we must go.

We need to change our mindset. We need to change our perspective. And then we need to saddle up and start accomplishing true compassionate ministries.