The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
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worse for it. For in such a case <strong>the</strong> person helped will feel like a burden. Our attitudes are as<br />
important as our actions. Actions done in a loving, cheerful attitude will bring not only physical<br />
relief, but also mental health. People need hope when suffering.<br />
“A well-known evangelist spent two weeks in bed with pneumonia. Ministerial<br />
acquaintances came from a distance, and despite his high fever, spent over an hour<br />
in <strong>the</strong> sick room, exuding oppressive melancholy. <strong>The</strong>y left with <strong>the</strong> reminder that,<br />
if <strong>the</strong>y never met on earth again, <strong>the</strong>y would certainly meet in glory. <strong>The</strong> evangelist<br />
reported, “I was far sicker when <strong>the</strong>y left than when <strong>the</strong>y came.’” 22<br />
“A church member who wanted to help in some form <strong>of</strong> Christian activity was assigned<br />
<strong>the</strong> task <strong>of</strong> standing outside a rescue mission, inviting people to enter. He did so in a<br />
very mournful manner. Each passerby glanced at him and went on. He learned his<br />
lesson when one man responded to his gloomy invitation, ‘No thanks, I’ve got<br />
troubles enough <strong>of</strong> my own.’” 23<br />
A little girl said <strong>of</strong> a pious deacon, “He must be a very good man; he always looks so sad.” 24<br />
Examples<br />
Mt. 20:29-34 Jesus showed compassion by touching <strong>the</strong> eyes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two blind men.<br />
Mk. 10:46-52 When <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs rebuked Bartimaeus, <strong>the</strong> blind man, for shouting to Jesus to<br />
have mercy on him, Jesus responded by healing him.<br />
Lk. 17:11-19 Jesus showed pity on <strong>the</strong> 10 lepers by healing <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
Acts 6:1 <strong>The</strong> early church practiced “daily distribution” <strong>of</strong> food.<br />
Acts 11:27-30 <strong>The</strong> famine relief fund in Antioch was carefully organized by Paul for poor<br />
Jewish Christians. <strong>The</strong> disciples, “each according to his ability, decided to<br />
provide help” for <strong>the</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>rs living in Judea.<br />
Acts 9:36 Tabitha (Dorcas) was “always doing good and helping <strong>the</strong> poor.”<br />
“Government-sponsored welfare-work, which in some countries is so much a part <strong>of</strong><br />
modern life, <strong>of</strong>fers wide scope for <strong>the</strong> exercise <strong>of</strong> this role. We are convinced that<br />
Christian probation <strong>of</strong>ficers, Christian social workers, Christian doctors and nurses<br />
can all contribute something to this sphere <strong>of</strong> service which a non-Christian who<br />
knows nothing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> energizing to <strong>the</strong> whole man in modern society, but without<br />
endowments from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Holy</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong>, nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> worker nor his work is truly whole.<br />
Again, it will have to be recognized that many such tasks <strong>of</strong>fer less financial return<br />
than <strong>the</strong> worker might hope to receive in o<strong>the</strong>r pr<strong>of</strong>essions. <strong>The</strong>re is great need for<br />
well-qualified young Christians to consider <strong>the</strong> call <strong>of</strong> God, <strong>the</strong> sacrifice involved,<br />
<strong>the</strong> strains imposed, and <strong>the</strong> mental and spiritual demands made, in such acts <strong>of</strong> mercy.” 25