Live To Impact: The Poor

We're doing a series at my church called Live To Impact, challenging people to answer the question: "WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR?"

Today's focus was "living to impact the poor and underprivileged." How can we as Christians and a church make a difference in our community by taking care of the poor? And maybe even more foundational, WHY should we care for the poor?

Clayton Bell delivered a great message on the subject. You can listen to it in its entirety here, but I wanted to highlight a few points.

1. Who Is Responsible? Regardless of your political bent, if you think the government should be doing more or less in regard to poverty, the Bible makes it clear that God's people have a responsibility to care for the poor. That means it's MY responsibility. If you call yourself a follower of Christ, it's YOUR responsibility. You don't need to be voted into office. You don't need to be an occupational minister. Just do it.

2. Our Motivation. The Bible leaves no room for error: taking care of the poor, the orphan, the widow is paramount to God. This is often challenging to our human nature and preconceived mindsets. It's much more natural to give or care for those who can offer you something in return. Or perhaps you have (as I have) erred on the side of judgment toward those less fortunate in life. "They're lazy"... "they're irresponsible"... "if they'd just work harder and suck it up they'd could make something of themselves". Here's the deal: We must find our motivation for caring for the poor in who Jesus is and what He did for us. Spiritually speaking, I was homeless, I was lazy, I was poor, I was smelly, I had nothing and could do nothing for myself; but Jesus did for me what I couldn't earn and what I didn't deserve. He became poor that I might become rich. His mercy triumphed over judgment and it rescued me. What He's done for me in the spiritual, I am now called to replicate in the physical for the poor and underprivileged. As I clothe and feed and care for the least of these, I also have the privilege of sharing why I do such things and that reason is Jesus. What He's done for me He can also do for them.

3. The Cold Hard Facts. Did you know that in America in the late 1800's more than 90% of all welfare was done by the Church and "volunteer socieites?" The government had a small, if any, hand in such matters. As we've written previously, giving Christians could well eliminate the U.N.'s estimated $70 billion world-wide poverty problem with money to spare. Take for instance my city of Tallahassee, FL. There are, on average, about 900 homeless people at any given time. There are about 350 churches here. If each church provided for 2 or 3 of these people, the homeless problem would evaporate. (I know that poverty issues can be more complicated and you can't always make someone stay out of such circumstances, but this is just to illustrate how well-suited the Church is to answering the ills of society).

So, what are YOU living for? Let's ask hard questions and challenge ourselves to this standard of giving and loving as Christ did. Before you ask your government to do something, ask yourself if you're doing anything. Be open to opportunities to serve the underprivileged in your community. If you live in Tallahassee, come join us as we serve the residents of the Hope Community.

Saddleback Follow Up

Most agree that the Saddleback Forum last weekend was well-conducted by lead pastor Rick Warren. He had a chance to ask both candidates some straight-forward honest questions (whether they answered honestly remains to be seen). And he did an excellent job. But what does he himself think about politics? Where does he fall on the issues? He has not been as politically outspoken as say a Dr. James Dobson or the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, and that has caused some to criticize him, some to mischaracterize him and some to appreciate him. Warren's lack of candidate endorsement and political rhetoric in no way means he's soft on the issues or trying to appease all sides. I have heard him speak on government/politics a couple of times and he is well-versed in the arena. He is a man of strong conviction and in my opinion has a pretty good grasp of the biblical worldview.

You can read some of his thoughts here in a rare interview with the Wall Street Journal. The article is worth the read but here's a brief summary of Warren's main points:

• He's pro-life and believes abortion is the most significant issue affecting the evangelical vote in the fall.
• He rejects the idea of tolerance as far as it has come to mean that all ideas are equally valid. He is no relativist.
• He views McCain as a limited government guy and Obama as a big government guy.
• He wants a non-government solution to things like poverty and disease, believing that churches should lead the way in this fight.
• Though he's one of the most generous men in the world (giving away 90% of his income), he believes "the answer to poverty is business development, not charity." He believes free market, enterprise and creativity are vital to a society.
• He knows that true answers to societies ills can only come from Jesus and His Church. The government cannot be a savior.
  
• He wants to return civility to the public square, wishing that people could "disagree about the issues without demonizing each other." And Saturday night was one of his efforts in doing so.

All I have to say is "Amen!" (And read the article...)

The Bottom Line

The bottom line on my conservatism is this...

I don't necessarily disagree with the end goals of my liberal friends, just the means by which we get there. Peace, more affordable health care, a reduction in poverty and crime, a cleaner environment, better schools... Conservatives and Liberals alike desire these things.

So here's the rub: Who's job is it? As a conservative, I would like to see individuals, businesses, CHURCHES, the private sector provide answers for most of societies ills. They are better equipped, more nimble and more creative in handling such things. I believe the government's main job is protecting law-abiding citizens and punishing law-breakers. (i.e. police force, criminal justice system, military). Government is designed for this purpose. The more it gets its hands in matters not rightly under its jurisdiction, the messier things get.

Now I realize this is oversimplified, but can't we take steps toward it instead of farther away?

A Generous Hypocrisy II

In her previous post, my sister points out that a generous government policy of giving can be quite hypocritical, not to mention, ineffective at times. But none can argue that there are genuine and great needs in our world, and conversation on the best way to meet them is at least honorable.

So I thought I would follow up Kacey's post with what we consider one of the best ways to meet those needs... TITHING.

This post is specifically for all my Christian brothers and sisters. But if God is not really your thing, you might still be interested in hearing of His financial plan for the earth.

Let's define tithing:

The tithe literally means "a tenth." In the Christian faith, a tithe is a tenth of one's increase given to the house of God, the church. I believe the tithe is a biblical mandate, ordained by God from the beginning (it first appears in the Bible in Genesis 14). Tithing is not just Old Testament law. It is precedent before the law was given, and Jesus himself speaks of it in the New Testament (Matthew 23, Luke 11).

The tithe belongs to the Lord. In a biblical worldview, all things belong to God and originate in Him, but the tithe is specifically referred to as belonging to God. It's His off the top. It's His before the bills. It's His before our needs. It's His before our Starbucks. When you tithe, you are not being generous, you are simply being obedient.

It is also important to note that the tithe is not based on one's perceived ability to afford it. It is an act of faith, honor and worship to God no matter your level of income. I was fortunate to have a family who believed in and practiced tithing, and it has, therefore, become a way of life for me. I have tithed in times of great blessing and tithed in times of great need. Learning to live on 90% of your income is possible (and not an option for believers.)

The Bible actually refers to withholding the tithe as robbing God. Malachi 3:8-12 says, "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

So back to meeting needs.

Statistics show that less than 2% of Americans tithe today. The Barna Group found "that tithing among all born again adults has stayed within a range of 6% to 14% throughout the past decade." C'mon people!

John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, a husband and wife team of researchers have consistently tracked American expenditures as well as global need for many years. They have estimated that $70-$80 billion a year could meet the most essential human needs around the world, including "projects for clean water and sanitation, prenatal and infant/maternal care, basic education, immunizations, and long-term development efforts." The Ronsvalles go on to write, "Consider this: If church members in the United States would increase their giving to 10 percent of their income, there could be an additional $86 billion (over and above their estimated $70-$80 billion) available for overseas missions." Tithing Christians Would Meet Global Need.

So before we call for the government to do more, let us examine our own hearts. Let us not be participants in this generous hypocrisy. Let us not be the ones calling for increased civil spending if we ourselves are not fulfilling our Christian duty. Caesar will for sure get what is Caesar's. Will God get what is His? (Matthew 22:21).

A Generous Hyprocrisy

I was thinking today about some of the issues which, on the surface, I seem to have in common with Democrats. I care deeply about the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, the underprivileged. I want desperately to help these people, to see their lives transformed. And these are issues that are similarly close to the hearts of many Democrats.

Take Barack Obama, for example. He’s proposed giving billions of dollars in aid money to nations in poverty around the world. Wow, what a guy! What extreme generosity, you might think.

Think again. I have no problem with wanting to help those in need around the world. In fact, it’s one of the main things I want to do with my life. But where I differ with Obama is our respective methods for so doing. You see, I want to give my money to those in need. I don’t need the government to force me to do it. I don’t want my money to be taken in the form of higher taxes, put through the bureaucracy of the government and given to causes I may or may not believe in, by means that may or may not be effective. Let me keep my money to be used at my discretion! I’m the one who worked to earn it. Why should the government dictate how I spend it? I’ve spent too much time overseas watching our aid money line the pockets of corrupt leaders in the nations we’re trying to help, thereby increasing their oppressive rule in these countries. But I’ve seen lives changed forever by individuals and private organizations using resources freely given to truly help people in need.

It sounds so noble of Obama to propose such generous foreign aid, until one looks at his personal giving record, that is. The national average for charitable giving is approximately 2.2 percent of household income. I was shocked by how low this number is. And yet Obama’s tax returns show that he was well below that mark in years prior to 2005. Now I’m not condemning the Obamas for their giving record. I believe it’s a personal choice to give or not to give. What I have a problem with is the fact that while Obama clearly doesn’t care enough about the needy to help them himself, he wants to take my money to do it.

I am all for extreme generosity. But I don’t think this falls within the government’s scope of responsibility. I believe this is a responsibility given by God to the church and the individual. Apparently, Mr. Obama and I differ dramatically on this point.

The Buck Stops...Where?

As I listen to the promises being made by the Democratic Presidential candidates, I can’t help but wonder at the worldview inherent within their ideas. They seem to be doing everything possible to eradicate the idea of personal responsibility and replace it with a government of god-like proportions.

Take, for example, their proposed response to the so-called housing crisis. In different ways and to varying degrees, they would, in essence, have the government bail out those facing potential foreclosure. This may sound good and compassionate, until one looks at the implications of such a notion.

Say, for example, you too are a homeowner. You may have done everything right: bought a house you could afford even if its not exactly what you want, made the sacrifices necessary to live on the required budget, maybe even worked two jobs when things got tight. Meanwhile, down the road lives someone in a mansion far beyond their means. They may be completely irresponsible with their money. And who’s to say if they really are working as hard as they could to make the payments? Would it really be right for the government to use your hard-earned money to bail out this neighbor? And what about people who have chosen to forestall buying a house until they know they can afford it? Is it right to use their money to help those living an unearned life of luxury?

Many people these days have a strange sense of entitlement. They think they have a right to a certain lifestyle, even if they must use credit cards to finance it. And if all else fails, well there’s always the government, their virtual savior. But tell me, what would be the harm in people actually facing the consequences for the actions? Isn’t that how we learn and grow?

Now I’m not saying there aren’t people in legitimate need, people who made good decisions and just had some tough breaks. But my husband sees far too much of the other in his line of work as a carpenter. Just the other day, he was working in the home of a young couple in a multi-million dollar house. Their TV’s alone are worth thousands of dollars, and yet, although they’ve already lived in the house for a year, they still owe the builder a sizable chunk of money they claim they can’t afford. Who knows what they owe the bank.

Are you okay with your tax dollars footing the bill for them and others like them? You decide.

Is Hope always Hopeful?

Hope has become the buzz word of at least one campaign this election cycle. Barack Obama has taken the nation by storm, hypnotizing millions in an almost religious-like fervor. He is intriguing, novel, charismatic and contagious. (Let's face it, the man can definitely deliver a speech).

And he claims to bring HOPE.

But what kind of hope is he offering?

Is it hopeful to propose a universal healthcare system, a system that has done nothing but create long lines, low quality and bankruptcy for future generations in those nations who've gone before us?

Is it hopeful to raise taxes on such things as dividends and capital gains from the current 15% to Obama's proposed 39.6%, a tax that penalizes investors, entrepreneurs and risk takers, the very people who create jobs and wealth for lower and middle class America?

Is it hopeful to promise $4000 dollars to every college student, a fair standard of living to everyone who works (What is "fair"? What about those who don't handle their "fair share" wisely and end up "poor" again?), and a regular hike in minimum wage (which does nothing but discourage employers from hiring in the first place and increases the final cost to the consumer)?

Obama's brand of hope might sound good, but is it? Is it sustainable for future generations? We've already seen that government programs like social security are not. Would he add to this mess for our children?

And these are just a few policies I've actually heard him talk about. Let alone the fact that we don't really know much about him. He doesn't have much of a record, and what he does have is known to be one of the most left-wing, liberal voting records in the senate.

But still, mantras like HOPE, CHANGE and BELIEF have blinded the minds of so many. For instance, I was talking to a college student the other day who is supporting Obama. She was quick to let me know that she doesn't like universal healthcare but was willing to overlook it. We also discussed the issue of abortion and she is pro-life... Obama is pro-choice. "So, what policies DO you like?" I asked. "Oh I don't really know where he stands on a lot of things yet... I'm still looking into it, but when he speaks I just believe him." Enough said.

Hey, hope sells. And why not? People are hungry for hope. We all need something to hope in. We all need something to believe in. But there is only one thing in life in which our hope is guaranteed, and that is God. With all of this political talk of hope and with Obama portrayed as a Messianic figure, it leaves me with this question... Has government become our God? And if so, is that really hopeful?

Extreme Makeover

Tonight while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (and fighting back tears), I thought what an excellent example of American genius.

The episode was about a decorated marine who lost his leg in Iraq. The crew designed and built him and his 4 children an amazing new home, paid off his mortgage, and bought him a new car. Now I'm not a regular viewer of the program, but without fail, every time I see it, it brings tears to my eyes. The show is a perfect example of freedom, capitalism, sacrifice, etc. (as I said, the American genius) at work. Every week, this show changes lives in a way the government never could. With a combined effort from companies and volunteers, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, it gives needy and deserving families a new start in life.

Everyone involved from Ford to Sears to ABC to local contractors and builders gets to do good for someone else and promote their products at the same time. Shows like this are popping up everywhere. Oprah is premiering one in March.

Americans are extremely creative... finding ways to serve one another while generating new jobs, opportunities, and capital all the while. Just a thought: Could we not meet some of our nation's greatest needs in this fashion? Healthcare? Feeding the poor? Education? Caring for veterans? Why are we so quick to turn to the government for answers? We the people through hard work and creativity can "extremely makeover" our world.

(For more on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's volunteer programs go to http://abc.go.com/abettercommunity/index?pn=index).