The financial situation we've found ourselves in over the past several months has been exceptionally tight. Sometimes it's the gasping-for-air kind of tight. Like in the dream I had last night where someone started choking me so hard that I couldn't breathe or call for help.
But our financial situation isn't always quite that desperate, and I've gotten a new perspective on life and priorities and a very, very small glimpse of what not having enough money for basic needs does to a person's mental, emotional, and physical health.
I also daydream about having a lot of money. Partly because it seems like it would take so much stress out of my life, but also because I wish I could give so much of it away to people. Like to a neighbor who dreams of writing a book but who also has trouble even paying his low rent on time. Or to a single mom I know who works her tail off to support her daughter and just found out that her ex-husband was just laid off and can't send any child support payments for a while. Or to the couple that wants to be a one-income family but has to be a two-income family. Or to the many, many child sponsorship, primary health care, and community building organizations around the world. And so much more.
At any rate, my musings have brought me to a question. If I had a lot of money to give away, is it better to just give the cash away or to use it to help people make money of their own? A part of me thinks of the old Chinese proverb that goes something like: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. (I'm not sure of the exact proverb.) Following that line of thought, it would seem better to use the money to find people jobs, to help them start businesses, to buy their products, or something along those lines.
But then I think about the encouragement that Jesus gave to the rich young ruler to just give what he had away. Or when the apostles gave the collected money away to those who had need. No strings attached. Why would they do that? It certainly seems reckless and irresponsible, yet sometimes it seems the better way because when we give something away, we also give away the control over the person's life and what he or she does with the money. Freely give. Trust God.
Or freely give, watch people make very poor choices, enable destructive behavior, and then run away? Hmmm. Then is it not better to help people to provide for themselves and not be financially dependent on others? To teach them how to gain a return on their investments? To be more involved in their lives (with the danger of being controlling)?
Today, I honestly don't know. I go back and forth on it.
Perhaps there is a middle road. Education plus freely-given finances plus brotherly/sisterly relationship = ?
Any thoughts?
Monday, December 1, 2008
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7 comments:
Wow your comments disapeared there for a minute.
I think there is probably room for both. I know we help out a lady in Belize that has about 50 kids in her home. We just give her money. But if one of the older kids needed something we would help them help theirselves get it. Two types of giving. Two different circumstances.
I see the value in both ways. I know that Jesus didn't heal people with the same method each time, so I can see where the answer for someone's financial difficulty could be just as varied. Thanks for your input.
just been reading about extreme poverty in an asian country which we visit frequently. was looking for a voice on giving and poverty and looked up your blog. i firmly believe if it is in our power to do so we should give to the poor freely. i also believe in strategies that will have longterm effect on poverty. however while children are starving to death we can't just sit back waiting for these strategies to be implemented and to bear fruit. stirred.
Ali,
Thanks for your thoughts. I used to think that it wasn't wise to give money freely because of my mindset that the money would more than likely be squandered. That reflects more on my judgemental attitude toward those in need than on my desire for stewardship.
I agee with you that we should give freely to those in need. Will some of the money be squandered? Possibly. I've squandered my fair share. Plus, if we are all on a journey, have not we all made mistakes and learned from them? People will make mistakes, but that doesn't excuse us from helping now.
I think it's also wise and helpful to invest in long-term strategies, as you mentioned. Are there some specific strategies that you're thinking about?
I'm glad you stopped by.
May I add that even for the rich it must be a worrying time due to the financial climate. Somewhere in Proverbs it says that riches can take wings and fly away. "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" . Wise words from a wise man.
my reply has disappeared:) anyway in a nutshell, was thinking of individuals and charities who dig wells, sponsor children's education, teach farmers and fishermen techniques, run clinics, give loans to start up businesses and so on.
Also believe the gospel can alleviate certain poverty issues .(not the prosperity gospel) For example, the greedy and covetous heart can be changed.
Aware this is a deep subject with alot of circumstances we don't understand.
Exuse my ramblings!
Ali,
It seems that some of my financially richer friends are much more concerned about the economy than my poorer friends, one of whom said that she isn't as worried because she doesn't have anything to lose.
I agree that this is a deep subject that can be quite complicated. I look at finances quite differently than I did 5 years ago. I wish I had now the money that I had then. Oh well. I'm learning.
Thanks for your ramblings!
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