In their book The Transformation of the Inner Man, John and Paula Sandford write,
“What some counselees actually were seeking was what they had never received; the
wholesome love of parents by which to come to life. If we would offer ourselves (Romans
12:1) to Him as a vehicle for the Father’s love, He would so satisfy [the counselees’] hearts
that they would not only not drain us, they would become whole.” The authors here mean
that counselors are to act as loving parents for a while, so that God’s Father-love will flow
through them to the counselees. In this way, these counselees will feel loved. It is through
earnest interest and caring deeds in our loving relationships that healing can take place in
the lives of troubled people.
This is something I also discovered when someone referred to me a 20-year old Chinese
student who had dropped out of university and isolated himself in his room. His parents
did not know how to deal with their taciturn son, who
avoided others and holed himself up like a cocoon. When
I phoned this young man, he was not eager to talk to me;
yet, he sensed that I was genuinely interested in him.
He was surprised that a total stranger from Canada called
him frequently to asked him about his interests, so he
began explaining to me that he liked