We are reminded in the article, “One Hole in the Community,” that we don’t want to be known simply for our wonderful social services, but rather as a reflection of a wonderful God. In creating a counseling ministry, how then do we display the wonder of our Lord? Why, by doing what Jesus did of course. Have you ever read the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11)?
If you haven’t, it’s time to get acquainted with the emotional side of Christ. Throughout this passage, Jesus is motivated by love, “moved” and “greatly troubled” by the emotions of the suffering people around him, and “deeply moved” again as he approaches Lazarus’ tomb. It is within this story that we read the Bible’s shortest verse: “Jesus wept.” You might be asking, why all the emotion? Good question. Jesus is God incarnate. He did not have to travel to Lazarus’ tomb in Judea in order to raise him from the dead; he could have raised him from any location. Instead, he chose to return to Judea, a dangerous place for Jesus. Jesus could have simply healed Lazarus and never let him die in the first place. Either of these alternatives saves Jesus from a trip to a dangerous land where he would have to grapple with suffering people and his own emotional burden. Why not take the easy route? Verse 40 tells us why: “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” Jesus dives into the difficult emotions of suffering people, as well as his own, in order to display God’s glory. As broken people serving broken people through counseling ministry, we must do as Jesus does. We cannot be aloof professionals bent on exercising our theories and collecting a fee. We must jump into the difficult emotions of suffering people and be “moved” and “greatly troubled.” Jesus did this very thing so that God’s glory would be openly displayed. Would it leave a hole in the community if Jesus served people this way, then simply left? I think we know the answer to that already.