Why Help a Christian Charity?

Proverbs 11:24-25 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

As the title asks, why help a Christian charity?

Haven't we got enough problems of our own without taking on board somebody else's issues?

Anyway, doesn't charity begin at home?

Perhaps charity does begin at home. But what do we mean by home? Is home about looking after number one; looking after ourselves. Or perhaps that can be widened to watching out for and protecting our immediate family. I have heard it said many times,

" I'm only going to give to charities in my own country"

Again is this somebody's perception of charity beginning at home?

I don't stand to put down anybody's point of view or opinion but perhaps I can offer another angle. Poverty and misery doesn't stop at borders. Unfortunate people and difficult circumstances isn't the domain of our country alone. Diseases don't recognise imaginary lines drawn on maps. In todays modern age with easy access to the majority of the world, with modern communication systems linking one side of the globe to the other, God's creation has become a much smaller place. The world is our oyster, it IS our home. If we were able to trace our ancestry back far enough we would undoubtedly all be linked to Adam and Eve. Doesn't that make each and every one of us family. By helping any charity, by helping anybody in need, this is surely charity at work in our home.

"I don't want to give donations to ...... country because very little of the money gets to the people who need it." This is another argument often put forward. And it is quite understandable. Who wants to give hard earned cash to corrupt governments and selfish leaders. But the unfortunate fact is that if everybody took this stance then nobody in ...... country would be helped. If some money gets through is this not better than no money getting through at all?

I'm sure most of us will know somebody who has climbed to the top of their chosen career ladder taking no prisoners on the way. They have been ruthless in pursuit of their career goals and won't let anybody stand in their way. The likelihood is that they have probably made more enemies than friends. Life has a tendency to go in circles. We have good times and we have not so good times. So for those people who have stopped at nothing to get what they want, they are likely to see the faces of those enemies laughing at them as the rungs of the ladder start to rot away.

For those that give freely though, the rewards are so much greater. What we give doesn't have to be financial. It could be about giving our time, our thoughts and prayers. All this is considered charitable by the needy. For those that willingly give with a Christian spirit, they are rewarded ten fold and even a hundred fold. Although we shouldn't give to receive, a generous man will indeed prosper. Our acts are remembered and appreciated, and such times as we may become the needy, others are more ready to come to our aid.

Christian charity, the giving charitably with a Christian spirit gives the giver such joy in their heart. That sense of doing good by others is a tremendously satisfying feeling. And God is pleased by these actions too.

How fantastic is that?

Terry Norrington

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8fB3X_xdzc

http://www.cryinthedark.com/

http://www.christian-charity-world.com/