HOW CAN I HELP?

I’m re-reading another helpful book that has given me important insights for our ministry here. 

Here’s a quote from it: “When carefully looking at the definitions and attributes of compassion, it is seen as something that is not done from one to another as much as something done together. It implies an entering in to another person’s situation, gaining perspective of what that situation really is from that person’s or group’s point of view, and then proceeding together to figure out what the solution might be. This is often not how compassionate acts of kindness are carried out because it is a very time-consuming, long-term way of being kind and most of us would rather be in a hurry. Our nature, our culture, and our system is geared toward quick fix, high visibility solutions that get people out of their misery as fast and as efficiently as possible, often leaving the very recipients of the solution out of the process” (Joann Butrin).

While that was written in the context of social ministry outside the US, it can teach us something about why our country is in the shape it’s in now. You see, a lot of unrest is because people who are supposedly being helped by our secular, government-based social welfare system aren’t involved in the process; they’re just faceless, nameless, numbered recipients.

That’s one of the tragic results when we start with the assumption that government is compassionate, efficient, & flexible enough to do what the church & the local community have done in the past, & should by all rights be allowed to continue to do.

It’s also the result of another seriously mistaken assumption – that poverty is the lack of things. If that is so, all that is needed to alleviate poverty is to provide things. We can see how well that’s working.

Poverty is not a simple thing. But part of the answer to individuals, families, & communities in poverty includes listening to their perceived needs; seeing them as whole, integrated persons (with spiritual & emotional parts, & not just economic consumers); & giving them the dignity of helping create solutions for their situation.

That’s a big reason why we have a lot of really angry people on our streets. They will continue to be angry until things change, & control comes back to our local communities.