“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

December 3, 2009

I was sitting in a meeting of pastors a few days ago and that was the counsel given to us. We were told that we should communicate “I’m sorry. I can’t help you.” to some folks who come into our offices. It’s good counsel, if you understand the context of course.

We were talking about various counseling situations we’ve faced, and we focused in on especially difficult cases involving suicide. Often people will come to pastors just before they are about to attempt suicide and they ask for help. Usually, they’re looking for a magic bullet of sorts. They’re hoping that pastors can recommend some medicine or give them some bit of life counsel that will make it all go away instantly, and honestly who can blame them when desperate situations/circumstances are combined with our “your way, right away” culture. In short, people often look to a pastor as a savior of sorts.

There’s at least two reasons why the counsel, “I’m sorry. I can’t help you” is important. First, those in need must understand that the pastor they are talking is not The Savior. Secondly, a pastor needs to understand that he is not The Savior. Pastors have to learn their insufficiency and utter inabilities.

A pastor’s job is to introduce others to the Savior — Jesus. In fact a pastor’s job is, for the rest of his life and yours, to introduce you to Jesus over and over again. You can never know the Savior well enough, and as pastor I can’t be too clear about the fact that I am not your Savior. I’m sorry. I can’t help you, but I know someone who can and his name is Jesus.

Under Church, Reflections