Presbyterian Blogs: Deserving Our Good - Proverbs 3:27

Proverbs 3:27             Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.

How do you know who deserves your good? It’s a strange question to ask, but it’s one that a lot of churches are asking these days.

In Knoxville, many churches subscribe to what’s called “Charity Check.” It’s an online service which provides information on people who ask for help. It lets churches see how much a person or a family has received from different local congregations over a period of 3-5 years. Sometimes the charity given amounts to thousands of dollars. This alerts the church to two things: a) that the person is in a long term serious situation or b) that the person is actually milking the system.

In both cases, the good given depends upon the circumstances. Money may be requested, but sometimes advice is only given. In the cases where charity abuse is suspected, the request is declined. That might sound harsh or judgmental, but it’s actually good stewardship of available money. Most Christian agencies work this way – our congregations are at long last beginning to catch up.

So, who deserves our good? Those in crisis; those who are vulnerable; and those who have a real need. It’s up to us to use the gifts of discernment and the information available to make sure that the money which is collected and distributed is given to those who have a genuine need, and not those who are driven by greed.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You once stated that the poor are always with us and that we should do for them whatever we can. Help us to help the real poor and grant us the discernment to do this wisely, compassionately, and faithfully. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s Psalm series. It depicts a verse from Psalm 70. If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/3524347556_7a6e6fea63_b.jpg

Presbyterian Devotions: The Lost Summer

2 Corinthians 8:14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.

There was a time in my childhood when my siblings and I were all fostered out to our aunts and uncles. It was during the summertime and my mother had been taken in to the local lunatic asylum. My Dad was unable to stay off his work to look after us and so we were broken up as a family to be cared for by our relatives.

I was fostered to my Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Phamie. They had a large family of their own which meant that my brother Andy and I were taking up precious space and using their resources. We were still too young to understand how much of a sacrifice our relatives were making, but I now realize that their kindness and compassion during that lost summer kept our family from being broken up by the Social Services.

My cousins were great about giving up their rooms and played with us all summer long. It turned out to be one of the best school vacations that I’ve ever experienced. I think it also made me appreciate my wider family and now that I’m thousands of miles away from them, I cherish them all in my heart.

When Paul refers to equality in 2 Corinthians 8, he’s writing about Christian charity. In these tough economic times, Christian charity goes a long way to help others in need. Instead of getting hung up about ordination issues or biblical doctrines, we need to set aside our differences and make war on want, poverty, hunger, and inequality.

If it hadn’t been for my relatives practicing real Christian charity to my family all those years ago, I don’t know where I would have ended up. I guess the challenge for me today is this: where can I best practice the same principles today and effectively use my God-given resources to help others in need?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the blessings that You have given to us each day. Help us to refrain from hoarding and instead to seek opportunities where we can fully practice Your charitable and faithful teaching. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s passage or receive these devotionals via email, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

If you would like to help other people, but don’t know where to start, check out www.kiva.org. It’s an international charity where a contribution of $25 can help families in developing countries set up their own businesses.