The words of Jesus are clear and relevant today as it always was. „If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you”
But still, every time I read this, something in me ask with a loud voice: Is this all it is? Is this the whole picture of Christian charity and good behavior?
If anyone demand let them have… If anyone force, just give in,… if anyone ask, do not turn away and give ,……
I believe that if we take only this in consideration, we can create a context for people to take advantage of us, use us, and with no matter how good we can do, there is never enough. That will create in us a unfulfilled sentiment that still we do not do enough. I am all for helping people, all the way, I am all for charity, all the way, but we need to ask our self: what is Charity? What is the best way to help and help for real?
I need to underline that all this subject was on my heart in special after I see the phenomen of the people from Romania that live the country with the purpose of going in west Europe for begging.
- So, what will be a healthy approach, to help?
Short term
First, we need not to judge people for their past or present condition. We can change nothing by doing this. All people deserve love and kindness, no matter who they are!
Second, meet the immediate needs if they are. If a beggar need food or clothes, or a shelter,…. Is Christ like to help and meet this needs!
BUT if everything will stop here, we did not really help for a long term, we just create a bigger problem! So what next?
Long term
First – We need to be responsible for the children’s and the teenagers first. Because of poverty they are first to suffer! Not only that but because of poverty they become easy prey for human traffic, addictions, and because of the needs they face, they become candidates of continuing the same life pattern as their parents. So what can we do? We can reach them and help them to get a education and a skill, so that when they grow up they can be independent, to have a job and be a blessing wherever they go. It will be very important for Europeans to know that Immigration and Emigration can not be stop, BUT we can do something , so when this people reach those countries, they will not beg or still , but will work and have a job.
Second – The adults that are already without education, have no skill, and no hope, society need to understand that the real help will be to create community initiatives for the purpose of helping this people to find a place to work. If some of them show interest in learning a skill, to help them learn. To be responsible for them is to help them to gain a right self-esteem, help them to live with human dignity. This will be a real help. So, is ok to give money for a short term , but the real help will be to create a right opportunity for them to work, according with what they know and what they can do.
Let’s help. Let’s help in the right way. Let’s not rob people of their self- esteem and make them proud and help them live with dignity. Let’s help them to help others in the future and rise a new change generation !
Of course will be many that will refuse the opportunity to education and the opportunity to work. Keeping them dependent of us will not help them anyway.
Just a thought ,…
