[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I experienced the same thing in my locality. At college I was spending a lot of time with a Christian who was struggling with an addiction and a mental disorder. He was a really sweet brother, but he just had very deep personal issues. I would visit him in his dorm, invite him over to the brother's house (where I lived), and just spend time with him. And he was improving. His life seemed to be turning around (not just because of me, but I do think I was having a positive influence on him).

I was strongly rebuked by an elder/full-timer that I was spending too much time with this brother, and I should focus whatever "serving" time I had on better material. I took that admonition seriously, and stopped making an effort to spend time with this young brother. (At the time I bought into the church's authority/submission complex. If an older brother, especially an elder, tells you something against your conscience, then you need to "take it from the Lord.")

Eventually that young brother gave into his addiction, and dropped out of school. I have no idea what became of him. But I still regret letting our friendship go, just because I wanted to make an elder happy. The Lord spent so much time with the lost and helpless and rejected. But I was made to feel guilty for spending just a little time with a brother who needed people to care.

Unfortunately this is the modus operandi. Focus on helping those who can contribute positively to the movement while everyone else is a waste of time.