How Would You Handle It?

[Bendito]

Many years ago,when I was a baby Christian, and a young man, (oh how many years ago that was!) My Lady and I were visiting a church for a service...Not unusual right? Well an old man stumbled in late, totally in tears, totally crying about how God was going to send him to hell, crying about what a complete failure he was, what a bad sinner he was....What did he do? He broke down and smoked a cigarette....Yup...That's what had him so upset...
I was completely innocent of any knowledge of what should be done, but I felt it was handled wrong...Feelings only....They immediately took his arm and led him to the front where at least a dozen people gathered around him, laid hands on him and prayed....That's all...
How would you have handled this situation or how would you have liked to see it handled?

 

[amadeus2]

Not having been there, the precise handling is not something that is easy to determine for our still too carnal minds. The answer, however, is to listen to God and then obey His Word.

I was involved in a situation once many years ago where a strange woman came into our evening service wanting and needing help. She was filthy dirty with threadbare clothing and smelling of alcohol. She was somewhat enebriated (drunk) and only one person handled her correctly according to my heart. That was my wife. Everyone else stood back and watched apparently not wanting to touch the filth of the woman. [They were I guess too clean.]

Condemning stage whispers were very audible to anyone without hearing problems. Perhaps the worst one came from the pastor's son who said something to the effect of 'Who turned on the Light on the Cross over the church?'

My wife alone moved up front to the altar where the woman was kneeling and praying alone with tears running down her cheeks. She moved up very close to the woman without hesitation and put her arms around the dirty clothes and embraced her. Seeing that no minister and not a single other woman was doing anything, I moved up in support of my wife. I was embarrassed because this, at the time, was my "church". It no longer is.

 

[Bendito]

Not having been there, the precise handling is not something that is easy to determine for our still too carnal minds. The answer, however, is to listen to God and then obey His Word.

I was involved in a situation once many years ago where a strange woman came into our evening service wanting and needing help. She was filthy dirty with threadbare clothing and smelling of alcohol. She was somewhat enebriated (drunk) and only one person handled her correctly according to my heart. That was my wife. Everyone else stood back and watched apparently not wanting to touch the filth of the woman. [They were I guess too clean.]

Condemning stage whispers were very audible to anyone without hearing problems. Perhaps the worst one came from the pastor's son who said something to the effect of 'Who turned on the Light on the Cross over the church?'

My wife alone moved up front to the altar where the woman was kneeling and praying alone with tears running down her cheeks. She moved up very close to the woman without hesitation and put her arms around the dirty clothes and embraced her. Seeing that no minister and not a single other woman was doing anything, I moved up in support of my wife. I was embarrassed because this, at the time, was my "church". It no longer is.

Great Amadeus.....Your wife and you responded with love.....and who is love? Perfect response.......and a wise choice concerning that church.

 

[amadeus2]

Great Amadeus.....Your wife and you responded with love.....and who is love? Perfect response.......and a wise choice concerning that church.

God will direct our steps if we will allow it. We really shouldn't choose when and where we are to join with others to worship God. If we are paying attention He will speak to us clearly. His sheep do hear His voice!

 

[Waggles]

They immediately took his arm and led him to the front where at least a dozen people gathered around him, laid hands on him and prayed....That's all...

You can't do any better than that. Give it to the Lord and allow him to heal this man's heart and faith.
When things go wrong, repent and pray. It's as simple as that.