Uncharity
I feel called to take some of the things I learned while teaching at the Christian Men’s Job Corp and work to develop a vocation education program for the men in Uganda. So many people want to provide charity to help with the poverty, but despite our best intentions, charity rarely provides a long-term solution, often creating dependency and hopelessness instead. Often when we see people in need, our reaction is to try to meet that need, but in doing so we are inadvertently sending a message that says, “You are not capable of providing for yourself”. Money can’t solve the problem because poverty is not only a physical problem; it is also a spiritual and social problem. There are some organizations that have been successful by providing tools to empower individuals to put their skills and creativity to work. These tools are discipleship, Bible study, business training, and small loans to launch small businesses or strengthen existing businesses. Once these men are trained, they can become job creators, leaders and advocates in their communities and take what they learned and teach others.
Matthew 25:37-46. “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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