Patch Adams

I think everything that a minister needs to know is in the movie Patch Adams. It was recently on television and I had not seen it in a while. My favorite scene in the movie is when he is still
in the psychiatric ward and he saves his roomate from the imaginary squirrels. He acts like an idiot, holding imaginary guns, basookas and all sorts of weapons in order to help his roomate conquer his fear. Because of what Patch does, his roomate is able to go the bathroom. He wasn't too proud, too frustrated, or too good to help this guy. He just sees the need and does what he can to help his roomate.

I wish I could say the same about my life. I do try to look beyond myself, but sometimes it is hard because all I can see is the great mound of schoolwork sitting in front of me. It is such a discipline to look beyond your own life to help someone else. Especially in undergrad. Soon that will change, but I think you can catch my meaning.

My hope and prayer for my ministry that I will be able to see the needs of others and be able to help them. It requires good listening skills and recognition of what people need. That can be hard in and of itself. But it is worth learning, because sometimes all people want is someone to care. Or someone to think that they're worth listening to.

I also like Patch Adams because it emphasizes the need to see the value in people. Patch sees the value in helping his roomate in the psychiatric ward. Throughout the moving, Patch sees his patients as people.

I think as Christians that's what we need to do. See the value of a person. No matter who they are and what they've done. Especially the people we aren't comfortable around and the people we as society tend to write off and shut away. All people need to be seen as just that, people. We're all the same and we all hurt the same. Sometimes I think we are just too arrogant and proud to see it.