Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Doubts”
Our Bible verses for today: “Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42 (HCSB) “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Our thought for today: “When to give, and who to give to, can be confusing.”
As Christians are we Biblically compelled to provide for everyone in need and to give to whoever asks from us? It’s a question many Christians struggle with. Realistically nobody can give to every cause or to every person in need. And it’s also true that the world is full of scam artists who play on the sympathies of good people.
The Bible provides guidance about being generous, but also at the same time about not enabling those who are seeking to get something for nothing or who are being irresponsible. Here’s a Biblically based decision-making structure that I frequently use to help me arrive at a Spirit-informed decision about when to give and who to give to:
- First and foremost, each individual has personal responsibility for meeting his or her own needs. There are many scriptures which teach this principle, especially in the Proverbs, but 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is also very helpful. If a person can work then they should work. And if they don’t work, when they get hungry enough they will work.
So my first question is always “What’s this person doing to help themselves?” I also take into consideration whether or not this person’s situation is a result of their own irresponsible behavior, and whether or not it is ongoing and long-term. “Does this person frequently seek help from others and if so, would my assistance be helping or enabling?”
- Second, the person’s family has a responsibility to help them. If the person has sincerely done everything they can to help themselves, and if their situation has not been caused by irresponsible behavior on their own part, then next it’s the person’s family who has a Biblical responsibility to help them. “If any believing woman has widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows.” 1 Timothy 5:16.
No person should come to the church or to other Christians for help until they have first done everything they can to help themselves, and until their own family has done everything they can do to help them. If a person has family, especially family members who are themselves Christians, and if they have not requested help from those family members, they need to go to them first before they seek help from other Christians or from the church.
- Third, it could now be time for an individual Christian to help if they can. Jesus’ injunction in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:42 (see above) is a general principle which applies here – we should help if we can. However, it’s still true that realistically nobody can help everybody. There’s a world full of needs out there and none of us can meet them all. So even at this third step we still have to make a Spirit-led decision about what we can and cannot do to help this person in need.
- Then fourth, we come to the responsibility of the church as a body. The church should have ministries established which are equipped to provide assistance to both members of the church, and to outsiders who are in need as well. Acts 2:41-46 provides a pretty good model of a generous body of believers taking care of those in need.
In my experience I’ve discovered most Christians to be big-hearted and generous. Therefore they have a desire to bless those in need when possible. And yet, we all struggle with what’s appropriate in any given situation regarding how much help we should give, and how often. Hopefully you will find the guidance above to be helpful.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 