Category Archives: Benevolence – Caring

Obviously people who are homeless need shelter, food, warmth, and personal goods and Jesus views whether we help or not as though we’re doing it to Him. Distributing these items is a meaningful ministry, sharing the love of Christ in tangible ways. However, if we never get beyond the symptoms of homelessness to addressing the causes and real needs, we will do little to solve this problem.

Reasons for Homelessness Point to the Real Needs

Those who lost their jobs, can’t afford health insurance, and the like need help finding employment and paying medical and other bills — need a sense of security.

Those in family crisis (death, divorce, estrangement) need counsel, comfort, and practical assistance — need a sense of perspective.

Those with substance abuse problems need help overcoming their addictions — need a sense of victory.

Those released from prison need help getting back into society, gaining employment, etc. — need a sense of forgiveness.

Those from a foster care background need to know they matter to someone, have someone they can trust, and find help in establishing roots — need a sense of belonging.

Those who are victims of natural disaster need help rebuilding their lives, maybe their homes — need a sense of hope.

Of anybody, shouldn’t we as Christians be able to provide people with that sense of security, perspective, victory, forgiveness, belonging, and hope?  Meeting those needs goes beyond the physical realm.

Also Read:

• Homelessness: How to Get Your Church Involved
• Everybody Can Have a Part in Helping the Homeless

In the U.S. the first week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week, established in 1990 due to the increase of mental illness.  Tuesday of that week is the National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Awareness Recovery and Understanding.

So I ask:

How much do you understand about mental illness?

How much is physiological? (i.e., chemical imbalance)

How much is psychological?   (i.e., faulty belief system)

How much is emotional?  (i.e., reaction to trauma, loss, abuse, etc.)

How much is sociological?  (i.e., conditioning, environmental)

How much is spiritual?  (i.e., result of a hardened heart, sin, or spiritual warfare)

I’m not sure that we can always know the answers to those questions which supports the need to minister to the whole person.  God made us with a body, mind, will, emotions, and a spirit and He made us a relational being.  All these areas weave together and can affect each other.

Come Alongside of People with Mental Illness by Ministering to their Whole Being

If you don’t fully understand mental health issues and don’t know how to come along side of people with mental illness, just practice the “one another” commands in Scripture and treat them as whole people.

Physiological:  Encourage them to get regular physical check-ups, to eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep.

Psychological:  Help them work through faulty beliefs.

Emotional:  Comfort, support, and encourage.

Sociological:  Point the person to the power of God to break cycles.

Spiritual:  Pray for them.  Engage in a discipleship process.  Share God’s Word with them.

Just as you might not fully understand a person’s physical health issues, so you might not  be able to get a good grip on mental health issues.  That doesn’t mean you avoid them.  You still love them, accept them, and come along side as you are able.  You treat them as whole people made in the image of God and loved by Him. You view them with value as you would any other human being.