Sometimes it seems like we’re all looking for a good reason to do less good.
“You can’t save everybody.”
“How do I know it’s not a scam?”
“I just gave to Haiti!”
“I’m a poor college student.”
And my favorite “Jesus said we’ll always have poor people.”
Jesus did say this. Sort of. So we deduce that A)it’s futile and silly to try to help poor people B)Jesus obviously didn’t care that there were poor people or C)there are more important things Christians should be doing with their time and money than helping poor people.
Jesus was actually quoting Deuteronomy 15:11:
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
This is reason to care for the poor not excuse not to. You’ll always have the opportunity to share because you’ll always be running into people who need your leftovers.
I’m headed to Kenya this morning with a bunch of bloggers. I’ll start posting from there on March 4th and stop around March 10th. You can follow our group over at CompassionBloggers.com/Kenya and on Twitter.
And, yes, I’ll be asking you to give. What an opportunity.
I know many of you already sponsor children through Compassion International or other organizations. You’ve given to the Red Cross in recent days. You watched Help Haiti Live, clicked that Give Now banner and placed a bid. Then Chile happened. And now Kenya? Another opportunity, folks.
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor.
At the very least, please give prayer. We’ll need it as we walk through the slums of Nairobi, play with the beautiful children there, miss our own back home, and do all we can to release as many children as we can from poverty.
I wish I could have read to this post years earlier for I have been made silent a few times by stomping that quote on me
Fantastic post, I also dislike when people misuse scripture to justify not helping the poor and down trodden.
Safe travels.
I still dispute the claim that we’re commanded to give from our leftovers. I think it’s more about giving from what we start with, taking less for ourselves and distributing what we have more evenly.
Semantics, Laura. I totally agree. Read the post I linked to called “Pass The Biscuits” – it backs you up nicely ; )
It is the wording that bothers me, but, yeah, I know.
Thanks Shaun!
How very true! And what a blessing it is for me to be able to give!
If everyone gave what we were called to give by God then the poor would be better cared for, in my opinion.
Ugh! I’m so with you on this! I just wrote about something similar yesterday…that I’m so tired of turning my head when the ‘world’ get’s too personal and sad…why do we do that? What are we called to? We weren’t put here to live and play safe! Amen Shaun. Amen.
Have a wonderful trip! You came to my school last year (PBU) and I finally “got around” to sponsoring my little boy who lives in the Kwa-Jenga area of Kenya. I was there in 2008 so I know the area around where he lives and I hope that someday the Lord will allow me to visit him! Thank you for your work with compassion and your heart for the oppressed! I will be praying that your trip will be grace filled and fruitful! God bless!
Following. Praying. Passing the word along. And Loving. The loving is what’s sticking out to me for this trip. These children need to know they are loved.
I never knew that Jesus was referencing the OT when he said that.
Thanks Shaun. You taught me something today.
Just shared your post (with lots of links) on my blog. I will be following your team, and praying for each of you.
I am headed to Zimbabwe in early April, and am so grateful for the OPPORTUNITY. Opportunity is exactly what serving and giving is. That resonates with me so strongly.
In my dreams, I’ll be a future Compassion Blogger!
May God bless you, and May He use you to bless many in Kenya.
What about the poor people here in our country? Maybe you should stick around here and help them out…like I do!
(There’s always one)
It’s not either I care about America’s poor OR I care about the poor elsewhere. It’s not an either/or.
Linda, I am so glad you have searched out opportunities to be the hands and feet of God.
I think these types of comments are great if you are willing to hear the honest answer to it. But I think most people that say this (and there are a LOT!) aren’t open to a response.
Why chastise someone for giving and helping? Jesus specifically said to help the poor. That’s the only recommendation I need.
It’s my belief that God does not care about the poor in America more than the poor in other lands. In fact, it’s pretty preposterous to think He does. The poorest of the poor in America are probably doing quite a lot better than most in the poorer nations.
Lastly, it’s not just about giving food and clothes and nets and vaccines. It’s about meeting basic, life-saving needs first, in order to show God’s love. Many of these people would have no opportunity to hear about God otherwise. All because they were born into that country, through no fault or choice or consequence of their own. As Americans, we are so fortunate to have religious freedom, with a church on every corner.
Yep….there is always one…and many others.
It is my understanding that you are only going over to Kenya to observe and take pictures and post what you see….and then hopefully get people to sponsor a child..yet (and I don’t know if it’s true but I will say it anyway) thousands of dollars were spent to fly over to Kenya…doesn’t make sense to me. And I also heard that the “celebrity” people that are going actually get paid by Compassion. If this is true…then shame on you. As far as me sponsoring a child for Compassion….it’s not going to happen…there are plenty of children in this country and in my town that I can see on a regular basis and I KNOW where my hard earned dollars are going and I can see the results. I believe in the Lord or Savior and I pray hard every night for the children less fortunate in our country.
Linda, I’m so thankful that there are people like you in the U.S. serving those in need across the street. Great job!
Now, what about the 30,000 children who will die today from poverty related causes around the world? More than 20 million Kenyans are “living” on the equivalent of $1.50 or less each day. Many of us have plenty to share with those at home and abroad.
As far as the productivity and finances of this trip is concerned, you are partially mistaken:
1) BLOGGER PAY:
NO BLOGGER has ever been paid to travel with or post about Compassion and as long as I’m in charge they never will.
2)MARKETING DOLLARS:
Compassion must advertise in order to generate support. How best to do that? Would you have a problem with Compassion taking out an ad in your favorite magazine? A commercial on your favorite radio station? These trips are similar in that they are marketing expenses. And they are more effective than radio and print ads. The thousands spent on these trips return millions in sponsorship dollars.
3)PURPOSE:
Blogging trips show Americans (and others) what poverty looks, sounds and feels like. Perhaps readers will sponsor children. Perhaps not. But they will all see poverty. And my hope is that simply seeing it will move them to have compassion, to live more simply so that others may simply live.
4)FINANCIAL INTEGRITY:
Compassion International is the only child development organization in the world given 8 consecutive years of four star ratings by Charity Navigator. That superior rating is based partly on Compassion’s consistent record of financial integrity. Here are a couple links pertaining to Compassion’s financial integrity:
http://www.worth.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=826:elite-list-10-most-fiscally-responsible-charities&catid=3:grow
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=574
http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html#childsp
http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/pdf/SL_Top30.pdf
If you have any specific questions about Compassion’s ministry, feel free to e-mail me. I’m here to serve you in any way I can, Lisa.
shaun@compassionbloggers.com
And yet again I’ll be following you on your journey. Lessons I’ve learned from the last few trips? Keep a box of tissues by my computer while I read the blogs! God bless you all and watch over you.
I think there must be a song in there somewhere Shaun!
Can’t wait to hear all your stories!
We were there back in Feb 2007 stayed at the Panafric.
Is that where you guys are this time too?
Praying for all of you – o how I wish I were along!
Thanks Shaun!
Will be praying for you and the team.
Today is my birthday, and my birthday wish is that you all have a safe trip, and that the Lord works through you to spread love in a part of the workd that is often forgotten. I sponsor a girl named Rosalyn in Kenya – ACK Kathigagaceru CDC. If by some stroke of luck you meet her, please give her a hug for me and tell her that my family and I love her and pray for her daily:)
May God bless you all on your trip
sorry I can’t believe I spelled her name wrong – it’s Rosalin.
Hi Shaun,
It is hard to be a servant over seas whether you are going for a week or a year. People who haven’t been overseas have no idea that even our “poor” are not really poor, except maybe mentally. God bless you and protect you guys!
Linda…I felt the same (for the most part) as you until I read this book. http://www.theholeinourgospel.com
Thanks Shaun…for your commitment to redefine “who is your neighbor?”
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