In Serving Others

Welfare.  The government programs of public assistance has been controversial since it was created during the great depression.  And really the complaints haven't changed.  Working people feel like those on welfare could work, but chose not to.

Years ago there was a congressman who wanted to show how easy it was to abuse the welfare system.  So he went and applied for it himself.  He would actually drive a congressional car to the welfare office.  Those of us on the outside look at the system and see abuse.  We think of ourselves in that situation and how we would get out of it.  We think "If they would only do THIS" then they would be supporting themselves in no time.  So it is a program that while it probably does help a lot of people, it generates a lot of resentment in the process.

I think that one problem with the welfare system is it is charity without compassion.  Most people don't mind the idea of helping people out.  We hate the idea that we are being taken advantage of.   We know how hard we work and we see them doing nothing and still getting a benefit.  We don't know the people or their stories.  We don't know how they came to be on welfare or what challenges they are facing.  We don't know anything really except that they are getting public assistance and we am not.  So we focus on something like their phone or their shoes and ask why it's fair that they can afford that, but I cannot.

Of course if we asked Christians their opinions about public assistance, we would get views as wide spread as we would for non Christians.  There isn't an easy solution.  Our opinions range from hard edge to practical to soft soap.  And we can pick verses from the Bible to support any position. And while we can debate about policies there is one non negotiable.  Jesus taught us to love one another.

When I see a person on public assistance with $300 shoes, it is not my job to fix them.  It is my job to love them.  And if my heart is full of resentment and bitterness, then I have bigger problems than what shoes someone else is wearing.  We have been called to love our neighbors and whether or not they act in ways that don't make sense to me does not change a thing.  We are called to love.

Watch this clip from Pastor Chris.

We are called to love.  And sometimes that isn't very easy.  We aren't called to look down on people or to judge people or to be self-righteous.  We are called to love.