Healing the Whole

Healing the whole by Kelly Davidson

That’s what Jesus did in the New Testament. When someone would come to Him for healing, he would talk with them, heal them, and, most importantly, forgive them. For Jesus, the physical need was important, but the spiritual need was far greater. Coming into Cambodia, my first trip to Asia, I honestly didn’t know what to expect as far as ministry goes. Would we be just the beginning of something, or helping established missionaries, or aiding the local church? I had no idea. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are a lot of ministries established already in Phnom Penh. We were able to walk through their facilities, encourage their staff, work with them in their daily routines, and pray God’s favor over them. The best thing, though, that I learned about the organizations we worked with, is that they all seemed to be dedicated to healing the whole. They don’t just pull kids or girls from trafficking and set them free, because that would only put them right back into the cycle of poverty that put them in the sex trade in the first place. Instead, these groups work to prevent trafficking, rescue victims, rehabilitate them, disciple them, educate them, teach them skills, find jobs for them, and show them their true worth. There are also organizations that are turning entire communities around just by buying and renting buildings, starting businesses, building relationships, and creating safe spaces for kids, women, and men to live and learn and grow, physically and spiritually.

This is the most encouraging thing for me. Saving a girl from selling herself is okay on its own, but if she never finds Jesus she will never heal, and she will be in worse shape for eternity in hell than she was for a few years on earth. The whole point of being a Christian is to model our lives after the life of Jesus. He cared for every part of every person, not just the “most pressing” need they had. He gave people food and healed their illnesses, even raised them from the dead, but far more people were affected spiritually.

If Uncle Ben was right (and he raised a superhero so he must be), then with great power comes great responsibility. I have the ability to change the world through the gifts God has given me, but if I don’t do it, who will?