Truly Helping the Poor

 

“We don’t have to have deep pockets or be rich to help the needy, the poor and the hungry, we need to have a heart.” Kevin Dcruz 

Did you hear the recent generosity story of New York Knicks’ 7-foot center, Mitchell Robinson? Butch Stockton was Robinson’s high school basketball coach. Butch’s wife, Dawn, recently died at the age of 70 after a battle with metastatic cancer. The Stocktons had been married for 31 years.
  According to the news article this NBA star, Mitchell Robinson, visited Dawn every day when she was in the hospital. Then, after her death he invited his former coach to move in with him. Robinson told him, “Coach, no reason to stay down here in Louisiana. You come to New York with me and enjoy yourself and get your mind back straight because you know how much you loved your wife.” I love stories like that!
  Christmas is the season of giving. The Lord Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Yet who and where do we give? We want to give wisely. There’s a world of difference between helping and enabling.
  Personally, I struggle with what to do when a homeless person asks me for money. A good friend who knows a lot about helping the homeless shared that the best thing to give is a granola bar. If they’re an addict, it’s not easily swapped for drugs. A granola bar is nutritious and easily stored.
  Then, because we have some locals who are virtually homeless and spend lots of time in the elements (most have mental health issues), I keep gift cards for fast food restaurants in my car to give away so that they can go someplace warm and get something to eat. Caring for the poor isn’t easy yet doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Let me suggest some considerations.
  Begin with who you know, often that’s in the church, and move out from there. The Bible teaches that caring first starts with those suffering in our own families. If you have a relative who is a single parent or someone elderly with limited means or disabled, that’s a place to start. It doesn’t have to be money. For a single parent, babysitting or watching a child so they can shop or get a break can be huge. It might be simple house or car repairs. When you’re financially tight, you let things go. You can’t afford the repairs, but little repairs, if ignored, can turn into big ones.
  One of my greatest joys at Christmas was when Jane learned of a need and then gave money in my name to meet that need instead of buying me a Christmas gift. I’ll be honest, I can be as materialistic as anyone else yet there’s nothing that I really need. Giving always does a lot for my heart!
  Love and giving starts within our local church families. The early church, motivated by their love of Christ and the grace that God had shown them, lived an open-handed lifestyle, sharing with each other (Acts 2:44-45).
  Give to organizations that you know will use your gifts to help the poor, not for overhead.  Locally, I appreciate Love, Inc. and they’re part of our church’s budget. The Salvation Army seeks to directly touch the lives of the impoverished. There are others like reputable inner city rescue missions that are making a difference.
  So, do a little research before you give to a charity organization. The top executives at some charities earn over $1 million a year. Avoid giving to organizations where a major portion of their budget goes to administration or marketing, yet funds trickle down to those with real needs.
  Support government programs that help the disenfranchised. Speaking up for those who often have no one speaking for them can make a big difference. Many government programs have a good intention yet are not fully thought out and ultimately hurt the ones that they’re supposed to help.
  For example, 2024 marks the 60^th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson's launch of the War on Poverty. Since then, the taxpayers have spent $23 trillion on Johnson’s war. Adjusted for inflation, that's some three times the cost of all our wars since the American Revolution.
  Visit an urban area and it’s very apparent, we’re losing the “war.” Poverty is a very complex issue with complicated answers that require wisdom and courage on the part of elected officials. Sadly, most of them seem to be more concerned about being re-elected than doing what is best or right.
  Let me point out a popular cause that illustrates this. Most people have not thought through the long-term implications, particularly for the poor, of the eradication of fossil fuel vehicles. At the 2022 World Economic Forum leaders flew in on over 300 private jets. The carbon dioxide emissions from those flights were equal to 350,000 gasoline-powered cars on the road for the same weeklong period. Elites with jets and limousines shamelessly propose laws for others that have a limited effect on their own lifestyle.
  It’s growing more difficult for someone with limited means to own a home. With electric vehicles costing over $100k, it will soon be impossible for them to own a car, but a car is a source of freedom. The next time you drive past a group waiting for a bus on a cold day imagine living without one. A car gives you the freedom to live or work anywhere. If we care for the poor, we must question and evaluate kneejerk proposals where the long-term impact of those ideas make the lives of the poor more difficult.
  Look for simple, practical ways to make a difference.  Consider the options around you. Perhaps it’s volunteering at an after-school program, a soup kitchen or clothing pantry. Since Covid, many children are struggling with basic reading and math skills. They need assistance to catch up. Most schools have programs where a retiree or someone with some free time can volunteer a minimal amount yet make a big difference. There are more needs around you than you might realize. Ask God to give you eyes to see and a heart with compassion to serve!
  Remember, spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. Poverty is fundamentally a spiritual issue, so we’re wise to work with groups that recognize this truth. Look for organizations committed to proclaiming the gospel, even as they minister to the many needs of the economically challenged. Assisting the poor yet failing to minister to their spiritual needs helps them only for this brief life. We must never forget that Jesus died to save us from sin and provide the only way to heaven for all eternity!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

The Invisible Poor

“A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money.” W.C Fields

  In a recent interview Donald Trump shared that he’s been told “no” his entire life. He then went to on say that his father gave him a “small loan of a million dollars” that he had to repay with interest at the start of his career.

  Very few people would classify a million dollars as a “small loan.” Yet, at the same time, most of us really don’t understand true poverty and what it means to be poor. I know that I don’t. 

  Because of media caricatures and sometimes generational bigotry, assumptions are often made about the poor that have little validity. Politicians use the poor as pawns, advancing political agendas, with little regard for assisting those who truly need it. Most in the middle class or above rarely personally know any poor people, at least with any depth.

  That’s one of the wonderful benefits of a local church in that those from all economic classes are present, welcomed and accepted. A biblical church must be classless, ageless, raceless and genderless. As Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

  Yet, most of what we know about those outside of our normal social circles, we learned second hand. As a result, we tend to develop stereotypes of what poor people are like that have little validity and are certainly not universal. There’s a tendency to imagine our own socio-economic group to be diverse, even “normal” while we imagine “other” people belonging to a another group with which we’re less familiar, as being, for all intents and purposes, all the same.  

  The end result though is that there’s a tendency to draw stereotypical conclusions. Please be honest. Are these assumptions that you have made? While I won’t elaborate on these, I do want to challenge our preconceptions. 1. Poor people are uneducated and often stupid. 2. Poor people are lazy. 3. Poor people are substance abusers. 4. Poor people are limited in their use of the English language and poor communicators. 5. Poor people are ineffective and inattentive parents.

  The fact is that you will find poor people that fit some or all of those five statements. You will also find rich people who fit some or all of those statements. They’re stereotypes that often have little reality or validity. For example, just because someone has a Ph.D. doesn’t mean that they’re smart. They may just be an educated fool.

  My reason for pointing this out is that as believers, we have a biblical responsibility to assist the poor, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed” (Proverbs 19:17), but we rationalize not fulfilling our biblical obligations based on our stereotypes.

  We’re also entering the season when many are looking for more opportunities to be generous to those that are economically challenged. Yet, because the plight of the poor has been so politicized and we are more stereotypical than biblical, few of us have taken the time to really think through “Who are the poor? How can I truly help someone who is poor?” So let me share some practical suggestions.

  Make it personal. The American approach of delegating responsibility has sidelined the average Christian and caused us to miss being a blessing and in turn being blessed. Most of us, if we’d stop, pray and think – already have someone in our social circle who’s economically challenged. Begin by praying for them. Invest some time to really get to know them. Hopefully, it will challenge you to be something very, very biblical – Incarnational. Rather than loving someone poor from a distance in a sanitized way, you enter their world, know them, love and serve them as Jesus would.

  Let God stretch and humble you…and grow your gratitude. The most common sin in the Church today and the average Christian, and one rarely considered is PRIDE. It is easy to be thankful we’re not impoverished. But we wrongly conclude that it’s because of our own initiative, hard work and biblical obedience. We often also judge those in poverty.

  Everything we have is because of God’s grace. While following biblical principles can lead to stable or fruitful lifestyles, all people living in poverty have not been the cause of their situations. Many are born in poverty, many for generations, sometimes because of unjust societal structures or oppression. This may have left them without the resources and/or knowledge to escape it. Remember what Scripture tells us about wealth, “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).

  Take care of your own first. It’s not first the responsibility of government or even the church to take care of the poor. It’s first the family, 1 Timothy 5:3-4 & 8. Sadly, government stepped in because the family and church failed. I’m thankful for government programs that help the truly poor, yet it’s first the responsibility of the family and then the church. If someone is part of the church, and they don’t have family, it’s our responsibility as a family of believers to care for them. We’re to also care for brothers and sisters (Galatians 6:10), before those outside the church family.

  Be creative and help, don’t just enable. It is easier to write a check or give groceries, than it is to take the time to teach someone life skills, like how to get a job, how to keep it, how to budget, how to discern the difference between needs and wants, or even to encourage someone to break addictions that keep them in the cycle of poverty. To do this takes commitment, prayer, wisdom and a heart investment. Yet, the end results are worth it. It’s the fulfillment of the old adage by Maimonides, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

  Remember Jesus’ commission is the main thing. The greatest need everyone has is not what they have in their stomach but what they have in their heart. Whether they are rich or poor, healthy or sick – everyone’s greatest need is to hear and accept the gospel. It’s what Jesus commanded us to do first and it must be our top priority. All mercy ministries must be first gospel focused. While we must not ignore physical needs, we just can’t ever forget what the greatest need is. It’s very tempting to neglect the spiritual for the physical because physical results are more evident.

  This issue of the needy can’t be avoided by Christians. We can’t stay silent on the problems of the impoverished, hoping governmental programs will absolve us of responsibility. It’s tragic that, by and large, too often we’ve virtually ignored the very people with whom Jesus spent the bulk of His ministry while we retreat within our stained-glass walls to sing about becoming “more like the Master.” It’s time every believer, every Bible-believing Church once again take seriously the command of Jesus to care for the needy and support those among us who are less fortunate.

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Get ready to be accused of being a Scrooge

“How shall I ever understand this world? There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty, and yet, there is nothing it condemns with such severity as the pursuit of wealth.”  Ebenezer Scrooge

  If you’re going to take a biblical approach toward poverty, be ready to be accused of being a “Scrooge.”  A biblical worldview isn’t PC. To many, it appears cold and heartless…Scrooge-ish. During the Christmas Season, there are countless appeals to help the less fortunate. This past week my mailbox was filled with appeals for “Giving Tuesday.”

  As Christians, we’re commanded in Scripture to care for the poor and hurting, particularly the widow and fatherless. Yet, because most of the requests are packaged emotionally rather than rationally (and rarely biblically) without working through many of the variables, the bigger questions often are never asked, much less answered: Is this help truly helping? Is this wise stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to me? Am I assisting or am I enabling?

  Neither the questions or answers are simple. Nor is there “a one size fits all” solution. Each situation usually must be individually considered and evaluated. To develop and apply a biblical worldview requires wisdom and the investment of careful evaluation before there’s a financial investment. As believers, we’re stewards with limited resources. We’re to be wise with what our Heavenly Father has entrusted to us. Some day each of us will give account for how we invested His money.

  To apply a biblical worldview in this area, that’s theologically driven and includes personal responsibility of the recipients, is pariah to many, particularly those who are emotively driven. Put a cute child’s picture with big imploring eyes in front of us and we’re grabbing our wallets. Yet, because these problems are increasingly complex, our approach is going to potentially need to be a lifelong work in progress. Let me suggest though…

  Before you give, do some research on the organization you’re considering donating to. For example, I don’t give to Goodwill. The “Goodwill Mission” appears to me to be to pay local CEOs like they’re royalty. I have a hard time giving to an organization that’s supposed to help the poor where the CEO is paid extravagantly (salaries in a nearly seven figure range). People donate believing they’re giving to help the needy, not pay huge salaries. Also, look for organizations who actually direct the bulk of funds to the cause you believe you’re donating to. Many spend more on fundraising and administration than on people or the cause they’re purportedly seeking to help.

  As I read Scripture and what it says about helping the poor, the emphasis is on assisting what’s known as the “working poor.” Contemporary social handwringers would dub the Apostle Paul a Grinch for his instructions regarding the poor: “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness…For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6 & 10). Under the Mosaic Law provisions were made for the poor but it wasn’t a handout. The edges of the fields were to be left so the poor could glean the remnants of the harvest. We find a beautiful account of that in the Old Testament book of Ruth. Biblically, then our responsibility is to help those who are the working poor. When we help those seeking to help themselves, many of them with our assistance and encouragement will leave that designation, ultimately becoming independent and contributors to others in need. The Bible also teaches that we’re to let natural consequences of indolence motivate people to change.

  The Bible teaches that our first priority, after our biological family, is to help our spiritual family. Galatians 6:11, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” That’s why at Grace we have a Deacon Care Fund. Because there are enough needs within our church and because we don’t want to enable those who know how to manipulate the system, we rarely help those outside of our church. To be candid, we just don’t know them.

  Let me share just one example of why we take this approach. We had a woman stop by the church a few years back looking for cash to buy her baby asthma medicine. We wouldn’t give her money but offered to meet her at the pharmacy to pay for the prescription. We went there but then she never showed. Later, she was arrested for fraud. It’s easier to help those in our church and fellow believers. We know them and their circumstances.

  What though is often misunderstood is what it means to be truly “poor.” Most Americans have no concept of true poverty. Most have never gone without a meal because there was no food. You’ll find that many who consider themselves poor have cable, Internet, Netflix, multiple cell phones and cars, smoke, drink and often use illicit drugs. Poor is not all that poor in America. And to suggest that those are not necessities is considered cold and gauche. Add to that, frequently they’re cohabiting yet expect others to underwrite the costs of their children. So not only have we lost the War on Poverty, the “army” of the impoverished continues to exponentially grow.

  One of the greatest problems is that there’s little incentive to work in our current system. Obviously, the issue is far too complicated to work through in this short space. In fact, bettering yourself is discouraged. Under our current system, if you begin to work, make money, you then lose your government assistance funds. That’s just stupid! Yet, I see well meaning charities essentially doing the same thing. Rather than having a graduated scholarship program to help clients develop financial independence, they continue to give them money if the funds are available.

  Yes, we’re to help those who are truly needy (and not just at Christmas). We are to have generous hearts but must do it in a way that lines up with Scripture. The line between helping and enabling is often a fine one. God probably has brought needy folk into your life that you can be Jesus too.

  We must never forget though that the greatest need of everyone, rich or poor, is to accept the Gospel, to personally accept God’s great gift of salvation. What real good have we done if we help someone out of poverty, yet they exit this life spiritually poor into a Christless eternity?