Helping People: Pros and Cons
Last night I made the mistake of watching the Amazon movie Late Night. I do not recommend it and I did not finish it. It was, like many of the reviewers said, a PC mess, and I found it profane.
However, there was one bit where I laughed out loud and thought it made a good point. In trying to spruce up the talk show hosts comedy bits, the writers come up with "Katherine Newberry, White Savior." In a clip, she talks to two young black men who say they have trouble getting a cab because "of the way they look." So Emma Thompson's character (she is a great actress) hails a cab and shoves the two young men into it. "But I don't want to go anywhere!" the young man protests, but she implies that she is white and knows better than he. She is his white savior.
I wonder sometimes if we in ministry, with good intentions, don't find ourselves in the same role. We are the Christians who are here to help. If we expect the help will result in some sort of behavior change, that is the problem. The recipient may or may not be grateful, may or may not understand the effort the giver made, and may or may not change life patterns. It is usually questionable life or thought patterns that got them in the need of help in the first place.
I've had some experiences lately where my attempts to help someone were met with "thank you." But.
From a theological perspective, the argument for helping others in need is strong. Love. Serve. Living in the likeness of Christ. It can lead to our own spiritual growth, and ideally to spiritual growth or conversion of the recipient of help. And ultimately, these acts should be fruit of the Spirit.
So, from that perspective, I can't argue. From a practical one. . . .
1. People will take advantage of the well-meaning.
2. People want help on their own terms.
3. Some people need help because they are screw up and plan on continuing to be screw ups.
4. Helping requires getting into other people's messy business, and we can get in over our heads.
5. We may end up neglecting needs closer to us that are just as valid and pressing.
6. Like the character in the movie, our motives might be incredibly wrong.
So, our idealism needs wisdom, at the very least.
However, there was one bit where I laughed out loud and thought it made a good point. In trying to spruce up the talk show hosts comedy bits, the writers come up with "Katherine Newberry, White Savior." In a clip, she talks to two young black men who say they have trouble getting a cab because "of the way they look." So Emma Thompson's character (she is a great actress) hails a cab and shoves the two young men into it. "But I don't want to go anywhere!" the young man protests, but she implies that she is white and knows better than he. She is his white savior.
I wonder sometimes if we in ministry, with good intentions, don't find ourselves in the same role. We are the Christians who are here to help. If we expect the help will result in some sort of behavior change, that is the problem. The recipient may or may not be grateful, may or may not understand the effort the giver made, and may or may not change life patterns. It is usually questionable life or thought patterns that got them in the need of help in the first place.
I've had some experiences lately where my attempts to help someone were met with "thank you." But.
From a theological perspective, the argument for helping others in need is strong. Love. Serve. Living in the likeness of Christ. It can lead to our own spiritual growth, and ideally to spiritual growth or conversion of the recipient of help. And ultimately, these acts should be fruit of the Spirit.
So, from that perspective, I can't argue. From a practical one. . . .
1. People will take advantage of the well-meaning.
2. People want help on their own terms.
3. Some people need help because they are screw up and plan on continuing to be screw ups.
4. Helping requires getting into other people's messy business, and we can get in over our heads.
5. We may end up neglecting needs closer to us that are just as valid and pressing.
6. Like the character in the movie, our motives might be incredibly wrong.
So, our idealism needs wisdom, at the very least.
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