Why It’s Good When Your Visitation Brings Out the “Amazing Stupidity of Others”

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Pastor Foley

Part VIII of our series on Visiting and Remembering

By loving others and caring for them in their time of need, we mirror God’s care to them in both body and soul during times of great need.  That was the message of our last post.

This care for the whole person culminates in achieving the purpose for every instance of visiting and remembering: imparting the life of God.

That’s also the purpose of praying for one another.

Prayer and sacraments are how God becomes visible to both the visitor and the one being visited. You can see this in Scripture when Jesus appears to the disciples on the Emmaus Road right after his resurrection. Pay attention to how Jesus conducts the perfect visitation by imparting life through the Word of God, prayer, and the breaking of bread:

That very day [Easter] two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.

Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

And he said to them, “What things?”

And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going.He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while heopened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:13–32)

You can see from Jesus’ example that a prayer that invokes God’s presence and aid is something more than just saying, “God, please be with this person.” John Wesley has some great guidance here. His best point is that we should pray to God about what we should pray about!

Be sure to conclude every meeting with prayer. If you cannot yet pray without a form, you may use some of those composed by Mr. Spinckes, or any other pious writer. But the sooner you break through this backwardness the better. Ask of God, and he will open your mouth.

Whenever, therefore, you are about to enter upon the work, seek his help by earnest prayer. Cry to him for the whole spirit of humility, lest if pride steal into your heart, if you ascribe anything to yourself, while you strive to save others you destroy your own soul. Before and through the work, from the beginning to the end, let your heart wait upon him for a continual supply of meekness and gentleness, of patience and longsuffering, that you may never be angry or discouraged at whatever treatment, rough or smooth, kind or unkind, you may meet with.

Be not moved with the deep ignorance of some, the dullness, the amazing stupidity of others; marvel not at their peevishness or stubbornness, at their non-improvement after all the pains that you have taken; yea, at some of them turning back to perdition, and being worse than they were before. Still your record is with the Lord, and your reward with the Most High.

“The amazing stupidity of others”—that’s a great phrase, isn’t it? But notice that Wesley says that this amazing stupidity is actually a blessing because it ensures that we are visiting for the right reason.

We shouldn’t do the Work of Mercy of visiting people just because we enjoy meeting new people or cheering others up when they are sad.

Instead, we should do it as an act of self-emptying—our reasonable service of worship to God.

When have your efforts at Christian love been met with the “amazing stupidity of others”? What did you do about it?

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How to Earn Others’ Trust to Talk About Their Souls

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Pastor Foley

Part VII of our series on Visiting and Remembering

In Friday’s post, we learned that being abased for Christ’s sake – by visiting the poor, the prisoners, the sick, the orphans and the widows – is cause for rejoicing.

John Wesley’s instruction was helpful there, but it’s important to remember that physical care isn’t the only part of the lives of others in which God intends for us to mirror his love.

Wesley says that caring for people’s bodies is how we earn people’s trust to be able to talk about their souls as well:

These little labours of love will pave your way to things of greater importance. Having shown that you have a regard for their bodies, you may proceed to inquire concerning their souls.

And here you have a large field before you; you have scope for exercising all the talents which God has given you. May you not begin with asking, “Have you ever considered, that God governs the world;—that his providence is over all, and over you in particular?—Does any thing then befall you without his knowledge,—or without his designing it for your good? He knows all you suffer; he knows all your pains; he sees all your wants. He sees not only your affliction in general, but every particular circumstance of it. Is he not looking down from heaven, and disposing all these things for your profit?

You may then inquire, whether he is acquainted with the general principles of religion. And afterwards, lovingly and gently examine, whether his life has been agreeable thereto: whether he has been an outward, barefaced sinner, or has had a form of religion.

See next, whether he knows anything of the power; of worshipping God “in spirit and in truth.” If he does not, endeavour to explain to him, “without holiness no man shall see the Lord”; and “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” When he begins to understand the nature of holiness, and the necessity of the new birth, then you may press upon him “repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We can follow up our visit with books and articles that allow people to go deeper into spiritual matters. Wesley says:

When you find any of them begin to fear God, it will proper to give them, one after another, some plain tracts… At the next visit you may inquire, what they have read—what they remember—and what they understand. And then will be the time to enforce what they understand, and, if possible, impress it on their hearts.

So let me encourage you, dear reader, to build your own file of books and website links and magazine articles that helped you better understand the Christian faith. Most importantly, share passages of the Bible – ideally from memory – and then follow up by showing them where it is in the Bible. You can say, “There’s a story in the Bible that comes to mind for me in this situation. May I share it?”That way you’re sharing God’s Word with them rather than your own.

Key reminder, though: Books, magazines, and Bible verses are great. But don’t forget to invoke God’s presence through prayer during your visit! You can—and should—lead the one you visit to cry out for God’s visitation and friendship-love.

You minister through your own eyes and hands but always through God’s care and in his name, and always according to his purposes.

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Rejoice to be Abased for Christ’s Sake

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Pastor Foley

Part VI of our series on Visiting and Remembering

As we learned in our last post, in the Work of Mercy of visitation we’re sent as God’s ambassadors. That means we need to learn how to incarnate his presence wherever the widow, the orphan, the sick, and the imprisoned dwell. Central to that Work of Mercy, says Amy L. Sherman, is imparting life:

It [visitation] mustn’t be limited to providing them merely with commodities. We are to share our own lives, and invite them to taste of Christ’s life. We are to pray for fullness in the places where they are empty. Where they experience deadness, our ministry aims to quicken. Where they experience barrenness, our ministry helps them connect to Jesus and experience fruitfulness. He is the life-giver to all who are destitute, empty, dead, and barren.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, once wrote a script for what we should say or do when we visit the sick, but I think it also works well when we visit the prisoner, the widow, or the orphan:

As to the particular method of treating the sick, you need not tie yourself down to any, but may continually vary your manner of proceeding as various circumstances may require. But it may not be amiss, usually, to begin with inquiring into their outward condition. You may ask whether they have the necessaries of life; whether they have sufficient food and raiment; if the weather be cold, whether they have fuel; whether they have needful attendance; whether they have proper advice, with regard to their bodily disorder; especially if it be of a dangerous kind.

In several of these respects you may be able to give them some assistance yourself; and you may move those that are more able than you, to supply your lack of service.

Wesley says that others may know how to do certain tasks of care giving better than we do, but he says that “delicacy or honour” (our fear of becoming sick ourselves, our perceived self-worth which would prevent us from washing out others’ underwear or help them go to the bathroom, those kinds of things ) ought never to stop us from mirroring Christ’s care and love into the life of the one who is suffering.

Wesley says:

You will then easily discern, whether there is any good office which you can do for them with your own hands. Indeed, most of the things which are needful to be done, those about them can do better than you.

But in some you may have more skill, or more experience, than them; and if you have, let not delicacy or honour stand in your way. Remember his word, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me;” and think nothing too mean to do for Him. Rejoice to be abased for his sake!

“Rejoice to be abased for his sake”—that’s a powerful (and challenging) thought.

In what present circumstance can you rejoice to be abased for his sake?

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