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obvious. Assess carefully.
Keep your eyes and ears open for cues. Avoid pressuring others,
but remain available, even when your offers for help are rejected.
We are much more likely to err on the side of caution than to be
offensive in our expressions of caring.
    Even Angela, my angry, cynical friend, eventually came to me
after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, saying, "Okay, I'm
ready for that spiritual care you're always talking about. I need it now." In the last years of her life she returned to church, joined a
small group Bible study and met regularly with a group of friends
to pray. She even began to teach others how to give spiritual care.

    Providing spiritual care does not come naturally to most Christians. Our fast-paced, task-oriented culture diverts our attention
and sways our priorities. The primary barriers to spiritual care
include:
    ❑ Hidden needs. Needs may not appear obvious -either because
people hesitate to express them or because we fail to hear them
when they do.
    ❑ Fear of treading on private territory, thereby offending the
other person.
    ❑ Lack of time.
    ❑ Feeling unprepared or ill-equipped.
    We have already looked at several examples of needs not
appearing obvious. Now let's look at the other barriers and consider some ways to overcome them.
Treading on Private Territory
    Part of the legacy we have inherited from modernism is the idea
that religion is a private matter. When I first began my clinical
experience as a nursing student, I carried a three-by-five card in
my uniform pocket listing the topics I had been taught were
appropriate for conversation with patients. On the flip side of the
card, I had written: "Inappropriate topics-sex, politics and religion." My instructors feared that such inflammatory subjects might
cause our patients undue stress.
    Times have changed. We are much more open now about controversial topics. Nurses are sometimes even required to consider
the spiritual as part of their needs assessment. Postmodernism
tells us that spirituality is important but religion is rigid and divi sive. However, beyond asking a person's church affiliation, most
caregivers hesitate to discuss a person's spiritual beliefs and concerns. We attempt to separate our Christian beliefs from our public lives, hoping our faith will be revealed through our actions
alone.

    Jesus didn't give us that option. He tells us pointedly, "Those
who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man
will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the
Father and of the holy angels" (Lk 9:26). We see the apostles
Peter and John taking Jesus seriously as they confess before their
accusers, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather
than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking
about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20). Later in his
life Peter instructed the church, "Always be ready to make your
defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the
hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence" (1 Pet
3:15-16).
    The keys to spiritual care are gentleness and respect. Perhaps
one good reason people object to overtly expressing hope in
Christ is that too many Christians have blundered into evangelism
like children caring for an injured animal. They intend to do good,
but they end up harming the creature further. Few people have
been argued, shamed or bludgeoned into the kingdom. Paul
assures us, "I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God
for salvation to everyone who has faith" (Rom 1:16). That is good
news -news that we dare not keep to ourselves. Even good news,
though, needs to be delivered tactfully.
    Jesus gave people the option of saying no to him. We should
offer the same courtesy to people from other religions or those
with no interest in spiritual things. While we can share our faith
openly with a Sikh or a Muslim, we should not manipulate or coerce. That is