The Limits of Contextual Appropriateness

The phrase "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" is so often used in relationship to what preacher should do. It was written by a columnist in 1904 about the purpose of newspapers. Beck contends that doctrines have limited utility depending on their context, but I would argue that the idea of contextual appropriateness he outlines itself has a very limited utility. Even supposing we could properly identify a group of afflicted or comfortable people, humans are pretty terrible at actually knowing what is and is not comforting or afflicting. Jesus died for all, regardless of their virtue, worth, or social status. However different people might be, no one is righteous and everyone suffers.