西方醫學之父希波克拉底（公元前460-375年）將醫學從迷信帶入實證和觀察的領域，但他從未忽略患者是個活生生的人。他說：「瞭解生病的是個什麼樣的人，遠比知道這個人生了什麼病更重要。」

使徒保羅關心的哥林多教會問題叢生，但他仍看重每個信徒，包括當中一個與繼母犯姦淫的人，這罪行「連外邦人中也沒有」（哥林多前書5章1節）。保羅嚴厲處理了這個「疾病」，而這個人也悔改了。後來，保羅又寫了一封信給哥林多教會，勸勉所有的信徒。他指出這個人的罪讓每一個信徒都受到影響，「使你們眾人有些悲傷」（哥林多後書2章5節，和合本修訂版）。但既然這個人已經悔改了，保羅勸勉眾人說：「要向他顯出堅定不移的愛心來。」（8節）

保羅的動機很明確：「我先前心裡難過痛苦，多多地流淚，寫信給你們，不是叫你們憂愁，乃是叫你們知道我格外地疼愛你們」（4節）。他認識他們每一位，也深愛他們。

「罪」會影響我們每一個人。在每個罪行的背後都有一個活生生的人。當我們受到傷害時，要去修復關係可能很難，但這正是上帝要我們去做的。設法去瞭解犯錯的人，然後，靠著基督的能力去愛他們。

Hippocrates (ca. 460–375 bc) brought medicine out of the realm of the superstitious and into the light of testing and observation. But he didn’t lose sight of the patient’s humanity. “It is far more important to know what person the disease has,” he said, “than what disease the person has.”

The apostle Paul cared for a church with multiple problems, yet he saw the humanity of each member—including a man who’d committed a sin “that even pagans do not tolerate” (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul dealt strongly with the “disease,” and the man repented. Now, as he wrote another letter to the church in Corinth, Paul had affirming instructions for all of them. He recognized that this man’s sin had affected everyone: “He has grieved all of you to some extent,” he said (2 Corinthians 2:5). But since the man had turned from his sin, Paul said, “Reaffirm your love for him” (v. 8).

His motivation was clear: “I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you” (v. 4). He knew them all. And he loved them.

Sin affects us all. Behind each sin is a human being. When we’ve been wronged, it may be difficult to work toward restoration, yet that’s what God calls us to do. Know the person. Then, in Christ’s strength, love them.