A good starting point for our considera­tion of caring for those in need outside the church is to focus on the transitory nature of our lives here on earth. It is due to the abundant goodness of our living God that we have breath to praise him and live for him each day. What­ever physical possessions we have been granted by God’s grace we should hold loosely, not with a tight grip of the hand.

The Needy⤒🔗

Who are the needy? Those who are reliant upon grace and mercy; those who need compassion and care; the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned;¹ the lonely, the sad, the depressed, the angry and confused, the outcast, and the unforgiv­en. Those are the ones we should help, wherever they are.

Have you considered that those within your family may be the most ‘needy’ ones God intends you to care for? These people are not just ‘needy’, they are utterly dependant upon your love and faithful service. We cannot put our responsibility to care for our husband, wife, children, parents, and grandpar­ents in second place because we are busy everywhere else ‘making soup for the needy’. Of course, there is nothing wrong with making soup for the needy, but see that we do not neglect the hungry bodies and souls around our own tables.

The Neighbour←⤒🔗

It has been said that your neighbour is anyone you come across. However, we should also seek out our neighbour. You might well find that you never do any evil but you also never do any good because you never come across anyone in need. I come from a well-to-do family, I live in a well-to-do community, and every­one at work is well-to-do. Or at least it appears that way! So your neighbour is really the one whom you find has a need.

Seeking out your neighbour next door is a good place to start. ‘That woman’ who yells at her grand-children, the other guys who flat together and whom you rarely see. Get to know your workmates away from work. Do you know the ones who are struggling financially? Think about someone you’ve seen who probably needs help. How are you going to help them? I don’t know. And you won’t know until you get to know them.

The Motivation←⤒🔗

Why should we give to them? They’re not Christian, they’re irresponsible, they dug themselves into a hole, and they’re not trying to get out of it! Our hearts are compelled to give for at least the following three reasons:

Firstly: we have the God of perfect love and grace as our example of uncon­ditional, sacrificial giving. He is the one who saved us from the sinful muck we got ourselves into.

Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sac­rifice to God.Ephesians 5:2

Secondly: God, in his salvation plan for sinners, commanded us to be the salt and light in this dark and broken world; to be the instruments through whom he, the healer of souls and lives, reaches the lost and needy. Our life­style of obedience to his command is a fragrant offering to our King. “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.” (Deu­teronomy 15:11)

We need to advance God’s kingdom. What? Are you going to say next that all our acts of mercy are just a means to an end? No. Although sharing the gospel should not be the prerequisite for giving to someone, the physical gift only has eternal value for them if they hear the gospel – whether that be sooner or later, by us or someone else. Salvation won’t be found by feeding the hungry, either by them or by you.

Advancing the glorious kingdom of our God is the believer’s common desire, and what a beautiful testimony of the fellow­ship among believers it is to the world when we serve those in the community through word and deed – alongside each other, in humility, joy and love.

Thirdly: we are compelled to give because they are dying! We are so blinded by our selfishness, our judging mentality, our materialism and busyness of life that we have lost our sensitivity for just how needy these people are. Jesus had open eyes and open arms for the filthy. For those who don’t wear snazzy clothing like you do, or those who are just not your type of company.

Have you noticed how God sides with the needy and how often references are made in Scripture to ‘the fatherless and the widow’ and ‘the poor and needy’?

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.Deuteronomy 10:17-19

God is concerned for the needy and so should we be.

The Deed←⤒🔗

Which is more important? Word or Deed? This is the wrong question to ask. Timothy Keller writes in Ministries of Mercy that word and deed are ‘sym­biotic’; they are distinct (feeding the hungry is not evangelism), but insepa­rable and interdependent.²

What that means in practice is that providing for people may well lead to sharing the gospel with them. After all, they may ask, “Why did you do this for me?” If done for the Lord, feeding the hungry is evidence of our faith. “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” (James 2:18b)³

The Prayer←⤒🔗

So where do we start? I have to admit finally, while acknowledging and desir­ing all the above, that getting out and doing it is the hardest part. Or maybe it’s because I want to start by ‘getting out and doing’!

We must first pray. Lord, open my eyes. Fill me with more of your sacri­ficial, unconditional love. Let me see. Lord, give me time. Wait, that should be: Lord, let me use my time more wisely! You are eating dinner anyway: can you cook a little extra, invite a guest, and help them out? What was I doing that evening that was so important anyway? But some things will mean making new priorities. Lord, let me be willing and ready with feet that are “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”. (Ephesians 6:15) Lord, lead me by your Word and Spirit to do your will.

The Dangers←⤒🔗

The ticked box: Giving to the needy does not allow us to tick various boxes in order to get our conscience to stop accusing us of ‘not doing enough’. We answer to God for the attitude of the heart.

The empty dish: If we do any work of service – at home, in the commu­nity, or elsewhere – however noble it may be, when it is not driven by love, we labour in vain.⁴

The trumpeter: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3). Don’t act to receive recognition from men. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The Challenges←⤒🔗

Specific situations might arise for which we particularly need God’s wisdom to help so that it really helps. What part of giving should be conditional, and what part unconditional? Tim Keller has (another) useful chapter on the topic. Did God show mercy to us? Were we deserving of it? As our pastor recently said, there is no such thing as deserved mercy!“⁵

Jesus says in Luke 6:35-36,

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

That’s simple. But 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Paul even goes on to say not to associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Although Paul is speaking about a ‘brother’ and Jesus about an ‘enemy’, how do you reconcile such words? Tim Keller’s answer is to ‘let mercy limit mercy’. If it is unmerciful to continue giving, then don’t. God’s mercy comes without conditions, but doesn’t proceed without conditions.⁶

I learned the term ‘chiseller’ from reading The Deacon’s Handbook.⁷ A new term, but an old problem. A chiseller is one who takes advantage of welfare. You may give and give, but if the receiver abuses it, then you’re not really helping him. Your mercy may come to an end when it is continually abused. Some may not be willing to acknowledge that the root problem is sin. In many cases the concept of sin might need to be ex­plained in conjunction with the warning of the consequences of continuing in this sin. If someone is not willing to change or listen to advice then it may be time for them to feel the consequences of their actions. Of course, after prayerful consideration, explain in love why you’re stopping support.

The Ideas←⤒🔗

Finally, here are some ideas for you to consider as you are able:

• Be involved in the lives of your neigh­bours and colleagues. I’m not so quick to bring workmates home – but why not? Do I really care about them?
   
• Learn about your local Christian social services such as City Mission and the Open Home Foundation, to name two well-established organizations in New Zealand. They are overloaded with work!
   
• Talk to your deacons. They may have ideas, or you may have ideas for them.
   
• Food banks, soup kitchens, prison ministries, kid’s groups, singing and visiting rest-homes, vege co-ops, etc. Donating is one way to be involved. Giving your time to help is another. Start up your own!
   
• Involve your children in your life of service: for example, explain why you are preparing a meal, write cards of encouragement, and pray together for the recipient. Stimulate the opening of their eyes with questions about needs they observe and can relate to. Children will follow our example of compassion.

The Reward←⤒🔗

How should you help? “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crip­pled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:13-14)