“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23
“Ministry happens when you participate in the mystery of being with. The whole incarnation, God-with-us, Emmanuel, is first of all being with people. Caring means “to cry out with.” Compassion literally means “to be with those who suffer.” Ministry means we are to be precisely where people are vulnerable, not to fix it or to change it. That is an unintended fruit of it, but that is not why you are there. Jesus is first of all God-with-us. For thirty years he was just living in a small village, living the same life that we live. It was only for three years that he was preaching. So even when you look at it in a spiritual way, Jesus’ ministry wasn’t just the three years he was preaching. The mystery is that he shared our lives. Ministry is being with the sick, the dying, being with people wherever they are, whatever their problems. We dare to be with them in their weakness and trust that if we are entering into people’s vulnerable places, we will experience immense joy. That is the mystery of ministry. You can’t solve the world’s problems, but you can be with people.”
Henri Nouwen in Returning to God (St. Louis: All Saints Press, 2014) 21-22.
Jesus modeled the ministry of being with.
This has been a significant area of learning for me in recent years. Think about it. We are most like Christ when we listen and love, when we move toward rather than away from people who are struggling or suffering. And the key is not trying to solve their problems but merely to sit in their presence.
This week Peter Fiorello, Carla Archila, and I spent the week with a group of Chileans who say that they will never be the same. We taught and talked, listened and laughed. It was priceless and wrapped up nicely. I hope to visit them in November for a couple day between work in Brazil and Panama.
Today, I spend time with my dear friend, Dan Busby.
He’s battled Covid and cancer, but his life is so much bigger than these two recent challenges. I am looking forward to time together talking about baseball and books, people and places, family and faith, and so much more. I hope I bless him and look forward to how I am blessed in being with him.
God showed His generosity to us through the ministry of being with. How will you go and do likewise?