When you go to the doctor with an illness you are hoping to receive some form of help. That help, for example, could come through medication, physical touch, or a listening ear. Another “want” that you desire when you go to the doctor is to feel important. So, if you went to the doctor and they came in to examine you, and during the exam, made you feel uncomfortable, you’d feel like the doctor didn’t really care about you, as a person. Even if they cared about getting you well. “Bedside manners” are important to giving the doctor a good reputation in making their patients feel that they aren’t just a statistic.
This past week, I was flipping the channels, looking for something to watch, and the movie “Patch Adams” was on. It had been a long time since I had seen that movie, and the more I watched it I noticed there were some inspiring lines in the script…here’s one…
You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome.
The movie is about a man who goes to medical school because he wants to help people. His mission reminds me of Jesus’ mission – to help people. He states in Luke 19:10 that His mission is “to seek and to save the lost” (ESV). That is a “help” mission. Which is also our mission – to help people.
How would you answer this question, “How many people have you baptized?” One, two, three, maybe more? Maybe zero. Unfortunately, we can get wrapped up with statistics. How would a person in the congregation be viewed if they had baptized 25 people? You would probably esteem them highly. But sharing Jesus is not about statistics…it is about their soul.
If you look at someone to simply try to get them baptized, you may win or lose. However, if you develop a relationship with a person, help them with their problems as a person, not just to try to get them baptized, “you’ll win”.
Sharing Jesus is an awesome thing that each Christian has the privilege of doing. It shouldn’t be burdensome. Simply put, sharing Jesus is about getting to know people as people, help them when they need help, and let them see Jesus through your words, lifestyle, reactions, and “bedside manners”.
Sin is a disease. Remember, don’t just treat the disease…treat the person!
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