"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."

Written by Eric Wilkins Tuesday, 12 February 2013 22:20

For me, it seems far too easy to be in the company of, and minister to, those who seem to be fairing well in life. It is safer, more comfortable. MInistry, however, should not be based on the comfortability of the one ministering. Is not ministry the service of others, the giving of one's self for the benefit of someone else? It should mean loving people enough to care about their eternity no matter what the cost.

This past weekend we were with the Daytona Beach Alliance Church. I was struck by the way the church was not just a body of believers who came together on Sundays to fill a quota for the week or to show that they are upstanding citizens. This was a place for those who are clearly broken and shunned by the world as well as those who seem to have it together in life. Granted, everyone is broken and in need of the truth of the Gospel, but I definitely feel that there are those who are looked down on for their vices or their past. During our stay in Daytona Beach, I sensed a weight on the city. A seeming darkness hovering over it like a cloud. We heard of rampant drug use and you could see it in some of the people we saw around. It was awesome to see that some of those who have been addicted to the high of drugs or stuck in the grip of some other substance abuse are found in the pews. They are seeking the true Healer and the One who makes all things new. It was amazing to see a congregation who truly is impacted by and understands these dark realities and chooses not to ignore them but to counter it with the truth of the love, acceptance and fulfillment found in Christ. The church clearly has a heart for those who are lost and in need of the true healer. A verse that was used in the sermon on Sunday fits their actions perfectly:

"When the Pharisees saw this they asked the disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" Matthew 9:11-13