By Jim Nichols

There is a strong tendency for us to get side-tracked by issues that may be only relatively important. This happens in our personal lives and in our lives as followers of God. Each of us, for example, has suffered significant frustration concerning the way our chosen local congregation has addressed (and continues to address) issues. Whatever the issue, there are congregational members who vary not only as to their stance, but to what degree of intensity they hold that stance. Much of this wrestling occurs out of sight from most of the congregation, but the conflict, discussions, meetings, and options are live issues just under the surface. Only when a decision is announced does the intensity of stances surface clearly. The process is, frankly, distasteful and disheartening to nearly everyone. Sometimes it even causes members to leave. Yet, we keep repeating the pattern. What can we do to shake it?

One option is to take the “first things in first place” approach that we easily forget. Christianity has some basics and many of them rest in the person of Jesus Christ. As a reminder to each of us, I suggest two primary qualities of Jesus—Jesus basics.

1. Jesus was a healer. The Gospels especially are filled with Jesus’ acts of healing.

Historically we have tried to identify the purpose for the healings, noting that he did not heal in all instances. His healing miracles are tokens (anticipations) of the good future that God has promised. Passages such as Revelation 21:4 (“God will wipe away all tears . . . death will be no more. . . “) have been comforting and assuring messages for generations.

But Jesus taught that life and health, though good, were not the greatest good. The greatest good is loving God and loving others. Sickness and death were evils, but not the greatest evil. What we need to fear is not those that kill the body, but those that kill the soul. (Matthew 10:28). Furthermore, we see that sickness and death can be used by God for good. Although a “difficult teaching,” we must admit that at times physical afflictions remind people of their finitude, their dependence on God, their sinfulness, and the disorders of the world. They can also lead us into times of Christian community that are highly significant. Indeed, one could make the case that walking through sickness and death with the Christian community (rather than alone) is the ultimate privilege and blessing of our human Christian existence.

If life and health are not the greatest good, we need to remember that the means to achieve them ought not to violate the true greatest or largest good. Because each of us inherently highly values life and health, this means that we may need to correct our thinking to accept sickness and death in a manner that is not natural for us but may, in fact, be more in keeping with God’s view.

2. Jesus was a sufferer. Jesus certainly was not immune to suffering either on a global or personal level. Since he functioned as a human, we can assume that he shared the same physical maladies that we have. I assume he got sick and that he fell and hurt himself. Fasting was clearly an important part of his life and that involves physical discomfort, if not suffering. His final Passion obviously involved significant physical suffering.

The Passion narrative clearly shows another important aspect of suffering—that suffering can accomplish remarkable things. It is not extreme to say that Jesus’ suffering gained us the opportunity for eternal life. 

Others have pointed out that those who are sick and suffering have the image of Christ and our care for them is critical. One of the most powerful teachings of Jesus occurs in Matthew 25:31-46 where he identifies those with human maladies (hunger, thirst, nakedness, imprisoned) and states in convicting fashion that to aid them is to aid him. It is as if Jesus is saying to us not that he just suffered in the past tense, but that there is continual suffering of him as people suffer (present tense) and we have an opportunity to care for them and thus for him. Mother Teresa identified that caring for others allows us to serve “Jesus in distressing disguise.”

As local church issues press on us, let us keep our focus on things more ultimate—on Jesus basics.

Jim Nichols is a retired Abilene Christian University biology professor and current hospital chaplain