Tag Archives: Charity

Jesus teaches to do charity anonymously (Matthew 6: 1-6)

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Bible Summary:

Jesus tells the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount to do religious duties and charitable works privately such that even your closest friends do not know about it.

My Thoughts:

Public Display of Charity: I wrote yesterday about a woman who did 26 random acts of kindness in a day. She posted her experience on Facebook “to inspire more people,” but according to Jesus the woman “will not have any reward from your Father in heaven” because she did the acts publicly. At first, I was thinking the same thing – that she did it for attention, especially handing out balloons to kids in front of Target! But, at the end of her project she posted a summary of what she learned, including tearing up at another woman’s really thankful response to paying for her groceries. So, I think the kindness made its impact on the giver too.

Piousness: I think Jesus was warning everyone about piousness – tell them to not go to church or do charitable works just to show others you are better than them. These are private affairs between you and God that should make you feel good inside just for the doing.

Even though it is best to do good privately, it is better to do them any way you see fit than not at all. So, do not let this warning hamper you from doing an act of kindness directly to someone or in front of others, just don’t brag about it!

Jacob’s Ladder (Gen 28)

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Bible Summary:

Rebecca tells Isaac she is sick and tired of Esau’s foreign wives and would just die if Jacob marries one of the Hittite girls.  Isaac sends Jacob to Mesopotamia to marry one of Uncle Laban’s daughters and blesses him to receive many children, so he will become the father of many nations.

Esau learns of this new blessing, Jacob’s leaving, and that Isaac does not approve of local women, so he marries one of his Uncle Ishmael’s daughters.

On the way to Uncle Laban’s, Jacob camps overnight and dreams of a stairway to heaven, with angels going up and down.  God stands beside him and promises many descendants and the land he is lying on, and blesses all these nations through Jacob.  God tells Jacob He will protect him wherever he goes and will bring him back safely to this land.

Jacob wakes and becomes frightened since this must be the house of God with a gate that opens to heaven.  The next morning, Jacob dedicates a memorial to God and renames the place Bethel.  He vows upon his safe return to worship God there and give Him a tenth of everything he is given.

My Thoughts:

Marry Your Kind: The message is pretty clear that the author thought Hebrews should marry their kind and not foreigners, especially since biblical patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob married other Hebrews.  My opinion is that we are all of the humankind and no one is a foreigner.  Differences between us are only manmade.

Jacob’s Ladder: Led Zepplin aside, this stairway to heaven is also known as Jacob’s Ladder in other Bibles.  I believe this story is the beginning of formal religion with a vow by Jacob to worship God at Bethel.  I don’t understand why Jacob would be frightened though. He just saw God who vowed to take care of him.  Seems to be the religious establishment putting fear into people that they need to worship God and tithe.

Tithing:  There is a lot of debate about tithing, especially since a few have taken advantage of it and are now living in multi-million dollar homes from donations of their members.  I believe tithing is healthy, but in your own way.  Give some to your church, temple, or mosque, some to charities, and to others you know really need help.  I’m not sure 10% is the magic number, so give what you feel is appropriate.  If you are short on money, give your time and expertise by volunteering, even if only a couple times a year.

The key to tithing is in the giving.  It is about thinking of others, thinking of the greater good, and making a difference on a regular basis.  This is what I believe is pleasing to God.

Cain and Abel (Gen 4)

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Initial:

  • Focus on Family Business: It seems the goal of the story is to convince the listener (think 4500 years ago) to choose shepherding, the main occupation of the Israelites, over farming.  Abel, the shepherd, is looked favorably upon by God for his offering while Cain, the farmer, is not.
  • Jealousy is Bad: The story also teaches how jealousy, actually acting upon jealous thoughts, can ruin your life.  Cain is jealous of Abel being in favor with God, so he murders Abel and as a result is banished to wander the hills, a punishment Cain believes to be too hard.  Note, this “wandering” turns him into a shepherd.
  • No Capital Punishment: This story contradicts the eye-for-an-eye generalization of the Old Testament.  Cain is not put to death for murdering his brother.  On top of that, he is actually protected by God from harm by others.
Traditional:
  • My Brother’s Keeper: Are we are brother’s keeper?  This is the question so often pulled from this story and generally translated to: are we supposed to care for the poor?  I believe the answer is a resounding “yes”, but with a few conditions: (1) only give food to beggars, (2) let the experts provide real care to the poor, in other words, give your money to homeless shelters and food banks, and (3) try hard to help those really in need.

1. Only Give Food to Beggars: I have been “taken” by so many beggars in my life.  The worst was falling for the broken-down car scam as I watched the person hop in a car and drive away with my “donation to their cause”.  I am a beggar’s dream, walking around wearing a cross necklace, the universal sign for “easy money”.  I have actually watched them change directions to approach this Christian target – me.

Many people give food instead of money, keeping some in their car or a granola bar in their pocket.  I have done the same, when I remember.  I once walked a gentleman to Wendy’s and bought him lunch.  CAUTION: I do NOT recommend this for everyone.  You still need to be concerned for your own safety.

It is really hard — believe me — but I have learned to say, “Sorry, but I just can’t,” and then walk away.

2. Give Money to Charities: I feel better about saying “no” to the beggars since I donate money to homeless shelters and volunteer at the local food bank.  I am comforted with the feeling that this money goes for food and shelter for the poor.

3. Help those REALLY in Need:  Believe it or not, most people in need are too proud to ask and suffer in quiet desperation.  These are the people you need to help.  The biggest challenge is determining who they are.

Once, there was a very thin woman ahead of me at the grocery checkout.  She watched her total closely and held back four necessity food items that she obviously could not afford.  I hesitated then told the cashier to put them on my order.  By the time she got them bagged, the thin woman had left.  I ran after her all the way to the parking lot.  She looked confused when I said, “Excuse me, you forgot these,” but then smiled broadly and thanked me.  When I returned to the checkout, the cashier said that really made her day and no one behind me in line said a word about the delay.

Search online for “Random Acts of Kindness” books and sites to find hundreds of ways to help other people.  Try it.  It will make you feel good inside!