Lucifer's Lures or Christ's Charity

The fallen angel of light, Lucifer, has long worked to degrade humanity. Generation after

generation of temptation-packed living has impacted our race. Satan is cunning; some persons he has

deeply wound in chains of depression and stress. Others are afflicted by mind-altering diseases like

schizophrenia, phobias, or anti-social disorders. He encourages his tormented people to be “cured” by

a psychiatrist. They give their will over to another fallen individual and both client and therapist fall

deeper into Satan's clutches. These desperate people are searching for peace. They cannot find it by

digging deep into their past experiences or reflecting upon the serpent's suggestions. They will not find

peace by looking to Lucifer.

When I chose the chapter from Ministry of Healing entitled, “Helping the Tempted,” I did so

because I was still depressed from reading the secular passage from my psychology book on

Psychotherapies. These focus on analyzing man's inner self; rarely do they succeed in producing even

a 'normal' person. Christ's loving way is to crucify self and begin a new life as God's child. His way

always brings perfect success. In this chapter, the pen of inspiration traces the template for true success

in pointing suffering souls to the cross so they can experience life more abundantly.

The chapter begins by introducing the Saviour's love. It speaks of how He died for us when we

didn't even know our need of salvation. Many mentally challenged people live on the streets, content

with their way of living. They refuse the help of psychiatrists. But have they been given a chance to

experience salvation? If only they could be given a glimpse of Christ's love and peace! We are to

follow in Christ's footsteps---that means to love the unlovable---to love before they can love back.

In Sister White's theme on Calvary, this one sentence touched my heart especially: “He who

gave His life to redeem man sees in every human being a value that exceeds finite computation.” (MH

p. 162) I considered the price Christ paid with His blood and the love He expended in the behalf of

even the most debased men and women. I thought of all the pitiful people who can't even talk
intelligently: Jesus died especially for them. They can come to a simple knowledge of God's love. My

desire to help them is intensified with the understanding of Christ's infinite sacrifice for them.

Farther along in the chapter, we read the parable of the lost coin. I had not thought before of

how dirty the lost coin must have been. Here I am reminded of a person afflicted with anti-social

disorder. He may appear hardened and cruel, yet just as a crusty coin still has the same value as a

newly minted one, Jesus' love for him is no less than any other of His children.

Another parable, taken from Luke 14, is brought to light by Sister White. The Saviour urged,

“Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come that my house may be filled.” Have

we ever pondered that anyone, especially those now enslaved by sin, may change into robes of

righteousness and be accepted in heaven? Have we worked with that purpose? The book says,

“Nothing is to chill the earnest, yearning energy for the salvation of the lost.” (MH p. 164) When I

practically apply these passages to my life, I find that it leaves no room for questionable activities or

anything that weakens my energies to labor for these lost souls. Every day I should desire to unite with

Jesus to bring light to darkened hearts.

I appreciate Ellen White's emphasis on urgency for our work. She wrote, “We must seize upon

every opportunity, in private and in public, presenting every argument, urging every motive of infinite

weight, to draw men to the Saviour.” (MH p. 164) So often in evangelism we employ the 'tomorrow'

trick. We say we are too tired, or that we have done our share; but we are called to labor as Jesus

labored by not allowing precious opportunities slip by us.

Our first step in reaching lost souls, Sister White tells us, is to show them that there is hope. We

can begin by placing our confidence in them. Their degraded dignity will be resurrected by letting

them know that we have faith that they will improve. We must be willing to endure their depravities as

we labor to point them to the cross. We must have Christ's pitying tenderness for them, never

considering that we are “holier than thou.” Ellen writes that when they are encouraged in this way,

they will be able to claim with confidence the promise, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I
fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” (Micah 7:8) I want to be

able to help people with phobias claim Christ's power like this. In my daily life I want to become a

hopeful person, directing those I am in contact with to the power above.

Pointing out someone's errors should be a painful process for us to do. I think of Gestalt

Psychotherapy and how it focuses on censuring and analyzing the client. Jesus' way is better. The pen

of inspiration wrote of how Paul reproved people, “He made them understand that it cost him pain to

give them pain. He showed his confidence and sympathy toward the ones who were struggling to

overcome.” (MH p. 166) In my life I want to learn how to hold my tongue from needless advice yet

give Christlike reproof when it is needed.

Sister White herself gives a word of rebuke in this chapter: “We become too easily discouraged

over the souls who do not at once respond to our efforts. Never should we cease to labor for a soul

while there is one gleam of hope.” (MH p.168) In my labor as a colporteur, it is often a temptation to

leave when people show distaste for my work. I sometimes have given up at a door, even though if I

had kindly persisted, they may have discovered the key to peace hidden within my books. I can apply

these principles from “Helping the Tempted” as I continue my work as a colporteur and in every other

line of service for the Master.

Christian Psychology is summed up by these three sentences: “It is a delicate matter to deal with

minds. Only He who reads the heart knows how to bring men to repentance. Only His wisdom can give

us success in reaching the lost.” (MH p.163) I have learned that I can only make a definite difference in

the lives of others if I have been given my will to Christ. He can impart heavenly wisdom to me so I

can reach those lost souls! The secular psychiatrist must spend years learning about the human brain

and even then his work falls far below perfection. Jesus, the Creator of the human mind, will be my

teacher, the Bible can be my textbook, and thus my work will always bring success.