James, [Peter] and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Galatians 2:9-10
“If you are a North American Christian, the reality of our society’s vast wealth presents you with an enormous responsibility, for throughout the Scriptures God’s people are commanded to show compassion to the poor. In fact, doing so is simply part of our job description as followers of Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31–46). While the biblical call to care for the poor transcends time and place, passages such as 1 John 3:17 should weigh particularly heavy on the minds and hearts of North American Christians: ‘If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?’
Of course, there is no “one-size-fits-all” recipe for how each Christian should respond to this biblical mandate. Some are called to pursue poverty alleviation as a career, while others are called to do so as volunteers. Some are called to engage in hands-on, relational ministry, while others are better suited to support frontline workers through financial donations, prayer, and other types of support. Each Christian has a unique set of gifts, callings, and responsibilities that influence the scope and manner in which to fulfill the biblical mandate to help the poor.”
Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert in When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself (Chicago: Moody, 2014) 13-14.
Back on 24 August 2016, I wrote a blog entitled “Help That Never Hurts” on the CLA blog. It came to mind when I was reflecting on today’s Scripture this morning. In that blog I cited this quote by Corbett and Fikkert. My point in that piece was that the help that never hurts is remembering or showing compassion to the poor. With Corbett and Fikkert, I acknowledge that it looks different for each person as it links to our giftedness, resources, and situations.
People often ask me: how can I make sure to show love and compassion in my giving?
Here is a way to connect giving financially and showing compassion: make sure your giving builds disciples rather than creating ongoing dependencies. How can you tell the difference? Follow this rule: If I make this gift, will it just be a transaction that helps them to keep going another day or week. Or will it accomplish transformation, changing the person and empowering the organization to move to another level and to grow to bless others.
Many ministries focus on meeting needs and forget about building up people. On this note, Corbett and Fikkert say:
“Churches and ministries using a needs-based approach are often quick to provide food, clothes, shelter, and money to meet the perceived, immediate needs of low-income people…Pouring in outside resources is not sustainable only exacerbates the feelings of helplessness and inferiority that limits low-income people from begin better stewards of their God given talents and resources. When the church or ministry stops the flow of resources, it can leave behind individuals and communities that are more disempowered than before” (120).
Don’t leave people worse off than you found them. Give in a way that builds them up. Compassionate giving that transforms takes the form of a hand up rather than a just hand out. Or as the saying goes, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” As I reflect on the needs of this world in that light, giving that shows compassion is multiplying the ranks of fishing guides (or faithful stewards). That’s a description of what the work of GTP is all about. Please include us in your year-end giving. Make a gift here to multiply faithful stewards.