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Posted on December 9, 2008 - by Andy McMahon
Repave the Road to Jericho
We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside… but one day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that mean and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a better. It comes to see that a system that produces beggars needs to be repaved. We are called to be the Good Samaritan, but after you lift so many people out of the ditch you start to ask, maybe the whole road to Jericho needs to be repaved.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“A Time to Break the Silence” Sermon
The more I think about my life and my faith, I am more and more convinced that this isn’t what He meant. The more I think that there is more to this than donating money to the Salvation Army. I am not bashing these charities, they do great things, and I recognize that. But, I wonder why we have set up these establishments to pacify the poor?
Dr. King put it so gracefully, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a better. It comes to see that a system that produces beggars needs to be repaved.” The poor are sick and tired, the middle class is sick and tired, the rich are sick and tired. So what are we doing right? Working 50+ hours a week, to buy that new ring, and make the C-note? To pay the gas, or to get the water turned back on? To flip a quarter to a poor man to feel good about ourselves, and so the poor man might get something to drink? The road is broken. Who are we to rebuild?
What I’m saying is, change doesn’t start in the Oval Office. (Sorry B.O) Change starts right here, with you and me. What are we called to? As Shane Claiborne put it, when we get to Heaven, I’m not so sure Jesus will say, ‘When I was hungry, you gave to a food kitchen, and they fed me, when I was naked, you gave to Salvation Army, and they clothed me.’
Do you get it? What are we doing to the least of these? Who are the Least of these? Is our annual donation/tax write off good enough? Does that fulfill your heart? Not mine. Old christian cultures used to say, if they didn’t have enough for even the poor to eat, everyone in the community would fast until they had enough food to go around. How long would we be fasting? Geez. I don’t want to think about it.
What I do want to think about is the light of hope. The light WE are called to shine on this world. Not this country, but the entire world. The Mexicans and the Somalians. We have a responsibility to the least of His children. What can we do? Surely we can at least feed them and cloth them, right?
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December 9, 2008
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adam said:
im a firm believer that people need to be taught to fish. handouts do nothing but put a bandaid on the gunshot wound of poverty.
i love ministries and missions that are not only generous but that equip people to succeed and deal with life in a new way. not that i don't think people just need some generosity sometimes, but the vast majority of people's problems can be solved if they are given a chance to succeed on their own.
how to we, the fortunate, give them a chance? we love them, build them up, equip them with the proper tools and work as hard as we can so that there is opportunity. not everyone can be a boss, not everyone can be a CEO, but everyone can work hard and put themselves in a better position.
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December 9, 2008
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Andrea said:
we can even do one better than that. we can start talking about the issues in our community that get pushed to the side, make signs or show up at a town meeting, or send an email. this is why community organizing is vital, and we can do that, restore justice in public through our own questioning of the status quo that makes victims and keeps them. Sometimes without them even knowing it, and kudos to those that rise above, but it's a hard world, and it's our calling to spread the love of Christ. Not by ignoring it (injustice), but facing it.
=)
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December 9, 2008
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jbstansel said:
personally, I think giving handouts is exactly what we are supposed to do. As disciples, it is our duty and privilege and to be able to serve the downtrodden and oppressed. I say give every handout you can muster! The last thing people in a hard spot need to hear is “get a damn job!” or “it's your fault you're in this mess in the first place!” No, we should instead reach out a hand of compassion and supply them whatever we are able to. And then we point them in the direction of the Ultimate provider.
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December 9, 2008
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PastorT said:
I do not know you, but AMEN brother!! Nothing wrong with giving. Sometimes your gift may get wasted, but we're not giving to go track how our gift is utilized. We give because we are trying to be Christ-like.
Wow…duty and privilege!!! I wish we could read those words more often, in the same context. Awesome comment bro!
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December 10, 2008
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deliveredjude said:
I think that you missed the point a little. I think what's being said is that giving someone a handout is good…but is it the best? Is that dollar or that shirt really the best we have to offer? Can we as individuals, families, church fellowship, communities, states, and nations not produce better ministries and programs that empower people rather than condemn and oppress. I mean Thanksgiving for example: How many churches have canned food drives? Tons! and that's GOOD! But how many churches are starting vegetable gardens and pooling their resources to give to everyone. Few to none, but that's what they did in Acts.
I think your point is very valid, but I think you missed the overall message a little. And, amen and amen, we should be pointing them to the Ultimate provider above all.
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December 10, 2008
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Andrea said:
That is true deliveredjude, very true. I think handout is a bad term anyway. Gift is much better.
The Bible speaks so much of justice, the problem is we sometimes lose that when we focus so much on charity. Ignoring the systemic injustice around me is just as bad as contributing to it in my opinion. Furthermore, we would probably need half as many charities for the “hard times” only if we would give half as much energy to BEING peacemakers and MAKING justice happen. 
Just me.
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December 10, 2008
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deliveredjude said:
I am totally on the same track as you. I think it also requires just as much action in good times as it does in hard times. We are already in the mindset of alleviating symptoms by the time we get to hard times. We're not addressing the root problems. I also agree that gift is much better.
I think it's interesting to think that the word “charity” originally meant love. That is not the case in our society these days. And it's incredibly interesting to me. What meant love now means duty. Oh how said it is how many categories that carries into…
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December 10, 2008
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jbstansel said:
I understood what Andy was saying. My comment was in response to Adam, I just didn't hit reply. Woops
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December 10, 2008
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deliveredjude said:
ah, then please excuse me for sounding like an arrogant ass.
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December 10, 2008
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jbstansel said:
haha no more than i sounded to adam, i guess. all in the spirit of sharpening and learning and….shtuff. or something. anyway, you aren't an ass.
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December 10, 2008
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deliveredjude said:
good to know. Thanks.
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December 10, 2008
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adam said:
glad i started some good discussion
please note that i did NOT say that i'm against handouts or gifts or charity or whatever you want to call it. giving without expectation of anything in return is how i try to live my life.
our charity becomes nothing more than a handout when there's no opportunity for growth that results from it. i would never argue against giving the homeless guy on the street corner a few bucks and saying “i'll pray for you”. my challenge is to couple your charity with a fight to get people on their feet. equip them to rise above whatever it is that's holding them down. use what you have to give them more than some spare change or an oatmeal creme pie. work to give them a chance to make it on their own and have something to be proud of, with the eventual goal of them being able to say hey, i was there, i'm not any longer. here's my immediate help and here's how i got out. let's do it together.
i don't see anywhere in my comment that would lead someone to believe i've ever said “get a damn job!” or “it's your fault you're in this mess in the first place!” to anyone who is down on their luck. there's a way out of it if we work together and that was my point. don't make me sound like a heartless lunatic.
in my opinion generosity without opportunity is a handout, which has its place, and opportunity without generosity isn't authentic or life changing.
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December 10, 2008
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jbstansel said:
I apologize for making it seem as though you said those things. My only intention was to show that no matter what the term, handouts or gifts, whatever you call them, can be a beautiful way of pointing the brokenhearted heavenward and showing them by action that God's people care about the lowly.