The Basics of People Helping

We had our second session of the ‘How to be a People Helper’ course today. Reverend David shared on the basics of people helping, such as the importance of the helper’s and helpee’s attitudes, the relationship between the helper and the helpee, as well as the importance of the emotions, thinking and behavior of both parties. Of all the things he talked about, what struck me the most was that he kept repeating to us about discipling someone who would then become a discipler. He talked about helping others so that they can be independent, and in turn be people helpers also. We often help people with genuine concern, but instead of giving them freedom, we make them dependent on us. Even worse, some of us help others because deep inside, we feel good about ourselves when people are dependent on us. We feel needed. We feel important. I need to be cautious of such motives, especially now that I am the advisor in CF. Will I be able to help others so that they can be independent of me and be dependent on God? Will I help others in a way that will empower them to help others also? Do I want to be the hero and make others look up to me and come to me for help?

What could possibly be greater than seeing a person come to Christ? When the person you have led to Christ grows and develops into a dedicated, fruitful, mature disciple who then goes on to lead others to Christ and help them in turn as well. ~ Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making