There have been a few things that have been rolling around my mind lately and I have questions. It's Christmas time and it's generally the time that we feel like we should lend a hand and take care of our brothers and sisters in need. In fact, the LDS church just came out with the fourth mission. Instead of the normal three, the mission statement of the church is now: Proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, redeem the dead, care for the poor and needy?
So, what exactly does that last part mean? I mean really, what does it mean?
There have been a few discussion here and kind of in this post that have really got me thinking about things. I mean, I get the whole idea of caring for those in need, but how do you decipher who is actually in need?
For example, you have a neighbor, friend, or relative that you know is having a difficult time financially, but they still have cable/satellite, 4 cell phones (only 1 needed for work), newspaper delivery, they go out to eat, (often), but yet they complain that Christmas is going to be small this year, and they complain that bill collectors want their money. So, how do you decide if they are in need? And if you are to give to them will it change the state that they currently live, or does it just postpone the inevitable? Or does it matter?
At some point we all have to fall. Some of us fall harder than others, and why is that I wonder? I have a thought. Example, it's a busy day, you have things to do, and not much time. You slip on a pair of shoes and see that one lace isn't done up, but you don't really care to bend down and tie it, so you run out of the house, immediately trip, fall and skin you knee. Now, there are those of us that would get up and think, well that really was stupid and something I don't care to do again, so I'll make sure that I tie my shoes from now on, and the problem is solved. Now, there are others of us that think, ouch that hurt, stupid shoes, maybe I should get a new pair because these ones make me fall. Another pair gets purchased, still the laces are untied, and yet again, we trip and fall, over and over and over and over again. Why not just tie the shoelaces?
So my question, how do you really know they are need? They maybe struggling, but the family has heat, coats, shoes, the essentials do you still donate? Do you put them on the giving tree, or do you just walk away and think, "they really should have tied their laces". I don't know, I'm really struggling with this one. Now, don't get me wrong, the food banks need help, and money and clothes and I have no problem donating my time and talents and money to those organizations. But, if they aren't really naked, do you need to clothe them? When they aren't really needy (because I mean really how many times have you gone to McDonalds with your family of 8 and bought happy meals for all the kids)?
Or, do you even worry about it? Do you stop trying to teach them a lesson and just let God take over?
4 comments:
good questions.
it's hard to remove what you consider commons sense from the equation. it's also hard to not make some kind of judgment when you are offering you time, patience and money.
there's no judgment from me there in that last sentence. i'm in your shoes too (no pun)
i guess its easiest to serve the truly needy first. so ,for example, those in a homeless shelter. it's easy to not judge them, right.
but maybe it's best is to serve those in your neighborhood because they are in your immediate community. but it's difficult to NOT judge them,no?
i'm not one to say, "it's in gods hands" because it's my hands that are doing the work, but i think there has to be some balance between common sense and charity for the sake of charity.
oy! i've said nothing and still haven't answered the question.
be prudent.
oh...maybe let the spirit guide?
good questions.
it's hard to remove what you consider common sense from the equation. it's also hard to not make some kind of judgment when you are offering you time, patience and money to flawed individuals.
there's no judgment from me in that last sentence. i'm in your shoes too (no pun)
i guess its easiest to serve the truly needy first. so ,for example, those in a homeless shelter. it's easy not to judge them, right?
but maybe it's best is to serve those in your neighborhood because they are in your immediate community. but it's difficult to NOT judge them,no?
i'm not one to say, "it's in god's hands" because it's my hands that are doing the work, and i have a brain, but i think there has to be some balance between common sense and charity for the sake of charity.
oy! i've said nothing and still haven't answered the question.
be prudent.
oh...maybe let the spirit guide?
We discuss this question all the time in my Ethics class. The fact is--some people are in the hot seat because of their own poor judgment--and some people are there because they're victims of others. We all make stupid mistakes and God's mercy extends to all of us. I look at a family that lives with cable, newspapers, new cars, but they can't pay their bills and I think--what a horrible pit they must feel! It's like you say, "they're tripping over their laces again and again!" I could buy them laces, and hope that they get the hint. I could show them how to tie their laces, but at the end of the day, they will decide whether they want to continue suffering or not. Whether I give or not will not fix their problems.
So here's what I say: the 4th mission doesn't say--fix the problems of the poor and the needy. It simply says "Care for the poor and the needy." So I look at what I can give. I make a small contribution based on what resources I have to offer, or I clean out my closet and give away some clothes. And I hope that someday they learn to tie their laces. but I don't worry about whether it will do anything to solve their problems or not.
I simply care. And if they wanna stop tripping, that's their business.
Define care by what you can responsibly give. Or live with. My old roommate CJ used to give bottles of water to homeless people and $5 McD's cards. She was caring, but not facilitating.
"She was caring, but not facilitating."
And, that's what I think it comes down to... not facilitating the behavior but to continue to care and give, which is why I will continue to give in the fast offerings and help at the Care and Share here.
Thanks you two. Great minds!
Post a Comment