Taking Care of Needs

When facing a person who has messed up and is in need as a result, what do you do? Do you address the immediate need or the mistake? Say, for example, a young unmarried woman gets pregnant. Do you address her needs as a woman, perhaps providing a place to stay, counseling, or just a shoulder to cry on? Or do you address the sin that got her in trouble to begin with? I think of the story of Peter walking on the water (Matt 14:28-31):

²⁸ Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
²⁹ And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
³⁰ But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
³¹ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

When Peter panicked, the first thing Jesus did was address his immediate physical need by grabbing him and keeping him from drowning. Only then Jesus address the underlying problem, which was Peter's lack of faith.

This should be our model for ministering to people in need. That is love in action. But in the American Christian church we see far too much condemnation coming from pulpits in place of ministry. It's not that we should not address sin where sin is. Certainly we should. But without the loving hand to give comfort and protection, where is the love?