Healing and Harm

The corruption of the best things are the worst things. Socrates

Philosophers and theologians from antiquity have recognized the profound connection between virtue and vice, or, to put it differently, the inherent value of things and the potential for their misuse. The greater the energy or possibility for good something possesses, the more it can become the opposite. Conversely, things with limited intrinsic good can only be mildly misused.

This truth becomes particularly evident when examining all forms of religion. While those who blame religious belief, fervor, and practice for much of the world’s problems and evils in history have a valid point, they are also making one they might not intend to convey.

Religion and the various forms of faith throughout history have indeed contributed to significant harm in the name of the same. However, this implies the existence of a tremendous potential for good as well. If religion is often a regrettable blight on humanity, it must also have the capacity to be an equally profound blessing.

The church stands as a prime example of this tension. It would be willfully ignorant to argue that the church has been solely a force for good. Conversely, it would be dishonest to overlook the good that has been done in the name of Christ.

What does this suggest to us who strive to live as the people of God, called together by the gospel of Jesus? The sobering reality is that as a community of faith, we have the potential to inflict significant spiritual harm, particularly on vulnerable individuals. Abusive behavior that is abhorrent anywhere is especially devastating when it occurs within the church because it is the body of Christ, and therefore, the place where healing is supposed to be available to all, regardless of their circumstances.

On the other hand, we ought to be humbled by the potential for world-changing good that can emerge through us, despite our imperfections. This potential arises from a simple community of individuals who are deeply in love with and share in the love of Jesus. This grace to be the means of salvation (healing) must be guarded fiercely and relentlessly.

The church often becomes overly business-like in its approach to organizational, financial, and institutional matters, which are necessary to some extent. However, these can be distractions which inadvertently distort the church’s invaluable qualities.

Consider how easily organizations in our world, such as hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceutical companies, which ostensibly exist to help those who are sick, can become more focused on profits than patients. Consequently, individuals in need of healthcare can end up neglected and mistreated by these institutions that should be there to aid them. The church can suffer the same loss of focus.

Those who have experienced profound hope in Christ, finding solace when lost, healing when hurting, being heard when shunned, loved when unlovable, and accepted when unacceptable, will be the ones who preserve the vision of what Jesus continues to do. They will nurture the flame of compassion and healing, even when it seems to be dying everywhere else. They will be the church that lifts people up and does not harm.

Faith expressed in love, embodied in a community of believers committed to the simplicity of selfless love, is one of the most powerful forces for healing. Though evil may corrupt what is good, as it often has the church, what is deeply true and restorative can also be found in a humble faith community.