What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... charity.

Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you. Matthew 6: 1-4

Now this is a difficult one. It is our duty and responsibility to help those less fortunate than ourselves, But how do we do this?

Some say don't give a poor beggar in the street money because he'll spend it on drinks. Some say don't give to registered recognised charities because a lot of it is spent on administration, salaries, advertising and such like and very little goes for the cause itself - i.e. such charities have become businesses in their own right.

However we choose to help others, let us do it discreetly and without too much fuss. I know of people who prepare sandwiches and soup and go out feeding the poor and homeless in town every evening. Others visit the elderly at home and help with shopping and providing transport to doctors' and hospital appointments. And so many other ways of helping silently and without much fuss.

You know, sometimes just giving someone a smile on the bus or in the street, or holding the door open for someone or a kind word here and there are in themselves acts of charity.

" ... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40