As we considered this passage yesterday, we saw that those who would minister wisely, do not minister from a distance. Let me clarify what I mean by ministering from a distance. In Hebrews 4:15, we learn that as Christ ministers to us, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. In Isaiah 63:9, we learn that in all of God’s people’s afflictions, He was afflicted. It is obvious from the language in these two passages, that God is intimately involved and deeply connected with those in whom He is ministering. He is touched by their suffering, and in a very real sense, he is a partaker of their suffering. God does not simply disperse truth as information that ought to help; He comes along side us in our suffering and ministers that truth to our hearts. Far from singing trite songs to the heavy hearted; in compassion, He ministers to us first, by being present. Many times in scripture, God would comfort His people with this truth: I am with thee (Isaiah 43:2). If we would learn to minister wisely, we must learn to enter in to the lives of those in whom we seek to help. We do not simply throw truths at problems; we seek to love the individual who is burdened and minister truth in a God-imitating way.