I turned down the Samaritans, was I wrong?

[Dropship]

I don't know if there's an equivalent organisation in America and other countries, but The Samaritans are a voluntary organisation and have existed for many years here in England and are on call 24/7 to take phone calls from people who are fed up or lonely or suicidal, and offer them encouragement and advice.
I was once working in a charity shop in Leicester and was chatting and joking with customers in my usual style, and a woman customer took me aside and said with a smile- "You're very good with people, I'm with the Samaritans and wonder if you'd like to come and be a volunteer with us?"
"Sounds great" I replied, I'd like to befriend people to cheer them up".
"Oh no, she answered, "we don't actually make friends with people, we simply sit listening to them as they pour out their troubles to us"
So I said- "In that case I'm sorry but I wouldn't be any use to you, because if somebody was suicidal, I wouldn't be able to stop myself saying to them 'Meet me in town for a coffee and chat"
The woman said "Oh well, but contact us if you ever change your mind"
But I never did.

 

[quietthinker]

I don't know if there's an equivalent organisation in America and other countries, but The Samaritans are a voluntary organisation and have existed for many years here in England and are on call 24/7 to take phone calls from people who are fed up or lonely or suicidal, and offer them encouragement and advice.
I was once working in a charity shop in Leicester and was chatting and joking with customers in my usual style, and a woman customer took me aside and said with a smile- "You're very good with people, I'm with the Samaritans and wonder if you'd like to come and be a volunteer with us?"
"Sounds great" I replied, I'd like to befriend people to cheer them up".
"Oh no, she answered, "we don't actually make friends with people, we simply sit listening to them as they pour out their troubles to us"
So I said- "In that case I'm sorry but I wouldn't be any use to you, because if somebody was suicidal, I wouldn't be able to stop myself saying to them 'Meet me in town for a coffee and chat"
The woman said "Oh well, but contact us if you ever change your mind"
But I never did.

There you have it!

 

[Alfredthefifth]

I don't know if there's an equivalent organisation in America and other countries, but The Samaritans are a voluntary organisation and have existed for many years here in England and are on call 24/7 to take phone calls from people who are fed up or lonely or suicidal, and offer them encouragement and advice.
I was once working in a charity shop in Leicester and was chatting and joking with customers in my usual style, and a woman customer took me aside and said with a smile- "You're very good with people, I'm with the Samaritans and wonder if you'd like to come and be a volunteer with us?"
"Sounds great" I replied, I'd like to befriend people to cheer them up".
"Oh no, she answered, "we don't actually make friends with people, we simply sit listening to them as they pour out their troubles to us"
So I said- "In that case I'm sorry but I wouldn't be any use to you, because if somebody was suicidal, I wouldn't be able to stop myself saying to them 'Meet me in town for a coffee and chat"
The woman said "Oh well, but contact us if you ever change your mind"
But I never did.

In reading God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew.
He writes that the persecuted Christians in communist God hating countries needed to know that someone cared for them.
Brother Andrew was a face that proved that MANY were praying for these Christians and that many more faceless Christians were praying for the persecuted Christians.

Some are called to be an ear to listen, maybe offer encouraging words but to listen. Listening can be an effective if faceless endeavor that is a blessing to the speaker as well as listener.

Some have to be a face of light hearted give and take banter.

I am better at at in person lighthearted banter and a poor listener.

Knowing yourself honestly was not a mistake.

If you couldn't be an effective listener without the face to face act and reactions. It would have been a mistake.

Al

 

[Jay Ross]

In reading God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew.
He writes that the persecuted Christians in communist God hating countries needed to know that someone cared for them.
Brother Andrew was a face that proved that MANY were praying for these Christians and that many more faceless Christians were praying for the persecuted Christians.

Some are called to be an ear to listen, maybe offer encouraging words but to listen. Listening can be an effective if faceless endeavor that is a blessing to the speaker as well as listener.

Some have to be a face of light hearted give and take banter.

I am better at at in person light hearted banter and a poor listener.

Knowing yourself honestly was not a mistake.

If you couldn't be an effective listener without the face to face act and reactions. It would have been a mistake.

Al

This is wise counsel. In the body of Christ, there are many people with very different gifts for the occasions when they are needed. Some are back room participants like chefs and dish washers who provide the means for others with other giftings to be the face for people to interact with or the arms that are willing to hug the broken hearted.

The biggest issue with many within the "Christian" environment is to be content with the calling that they have and to work at being the best that they can within that calling.

Like on this forum, there are many would be "teachers," but few of these members are actually called to be teachers.

Know your calling and when you are required, to follow God's prompting, to exercise that calling in real life.

Shalom

 

[Bob Estey]

I don't know if there's an equivalent organisation in America and other countries, but The Samaritans are a voluntary organisation and have existed for many years here in England and are on call 24/7 to take phone calls from people who are fed up or lonely or suicidal, and offer them encouragement and advice.
I was once working in a charity shop in Leicester and was chatting and joking with customers in my usual style, and a woman customer took me aside and said with a smile- "You're very good with people, I'm with the Samaritans and wonder if you'd like to come and be a volunteer with us?"
"Sounds great" I replied, I'd like to befriend people to cheer them up".
"Oh no, she answered, "we don't actually make friends with people, we simply sit listening to them as they pour out their troubles to us"
So I said- "In that case I'm sorry but I wouldn't be any use to you, because if somebody was suicidal, I wouldn't be able to stop myself saying to them 'Meet me in town for a coffee and chat"
The woman said "Oh well, but contact us if you ever change your mind"
But I never did.

There might be reasons they don't want you to get personally involved with the people you talk to. Your job would be to counsel - counselors perhaps need to maintain a distance from the people they are counseling.

 

[quietthinker]

There might be reasons they don't want you to get personally involved with the people you talk to. Your job would be to counsel - counselors perhaps need to maintain a distance from the people they are counseling.

What you have done to the least, you have done it to me....Jesus

 

[Dropship]

There might be reasons they don't want you to get personally involved with the people you talk to. Your job would be to counsel - counselors perhaps need to maintain a distance from the people they are counseling.

I'd be no good at "maintaining distance"..
For example a ladyfriend once rang me up around midnight and said "I'm sitting halfway down the stairs wishing I was dead", so I said "Hold on, I'll hop on me bike and pedal straight over", but she said "No, no, don't bother, I'll be alright, I'm going to watch my Billy Elliot video"

Another time there was a knock on my door gone midnight and a weeping woman's voice was calling my name "Mick..Mick..(sniffle)" so I opened it and saw it was local prostitute Sue.
"A man punched me" she sniffled, so I said "Come on in darling, I'll put the kettle on".
Later she asked to stay so I gave her my bed while i slept on the couch. "You can get in with me if you like" she shyly mumbled, but I made some excuse not to and have regretted it ever since because the least I could have done was to cuddle her (which is what she needed) til she fell asleep, then quietly made my way to the couch, so in that respect I let her down.