-by Mindy
When people ask me why I decided to become a doctor, I often answer, “Jesus”. Jesus healed people of their physical ailments as often as their spiritual. It seemed that He valued physical health and wellbeing very much. His value of physical healing was fed by His compassion and love. How many times in the Gospels do we see “Jesus had compassion on the crowds and healed them”? He recognized that sickness and physical suffering are not part of God’s good creation, but a result of a world wrecked by sin, death, and evil. If he wanted to reconcile people to God holistically, then physical healing would be part of that. For God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son. Because God loves us, He sent Jesus to heal both spiritual and physical brokenness. Jesus goes a step further and tells us that His followers will also serve the physical needs of others. Matthew 25:31-46 has also been instrumental in my decision to become a medical missionary. Jesus tells His disciples that when they care for “the least of these”, they care for Him. The examples He gives of this care are striking – He doesn’t mention preaching the Gospel, baptizing, or planting churches. He declares giving something to eat, giving something to drink, inviting in, clothing, looking after the sick, and visiting in prison are the actions He desires us to do for others – all very tangible, physical acts. While Jesus commends those serving the needs of others as equal to serving Him, He gives warning to those who ignore these needs. Ignoring the physical needs of others is equal to ignoring Him. It’s easy to forget about the needs of those thousands of miles away, who suffer from malnutrition, poor sanitation, preventable diseases, oppression, and violence. Yet Jesus makes no excuse for this. Whether “the least of these” are on our doorstep or across the world, ignoring their suffering is equal to ignoring Christ. James explains that even pity and good intentions do not equal action. “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (Ja 2:16). Seeing the sick neighbor down the street or the starving child on the news, and saying to myself, “Wow, that’s awful, I hope they will get better” is dead faith. It is turning away from Christ, who is asking for a drink of water or a cool cloth for His forehead. I cannot ignore the physical needs of others, because I cannot ignore Jesus. |
No matter how hard you throw a dead fish in the water, it still won't swim.
-Congolese saying For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.. -Jesus Wesley & Mindy McKnightThis blog will address critical questions regarding our vision of ministry in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is meant to last only until we depart the U.S., with each post being 500 words or less. Archives
July 2016
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