Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah saying, “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 7:8-12
If there is anything that my parents taught me, it was to have a servant’s heart. I don’t recall them ever doing it through instruction, but they certainly did it through example. As a child I remember my mother making lunches for drunks who came to the parsonage from the bar down the street looking for a handout. Never did she speak a disparaging word against them. I remember one long night when a man came to our door drunk and my dad spent the entire evening getting him sober. In the coming weeks he and his family began attending church. In high school and college, I had the opportunity to work with my mother in a small country hospital. As a nurse she had great compassion for her patients and, if needed, advocated for them. At that same hospital I also had opportunities to see my parents work in tandem as Mom was meeting patients’ physical needs while Dad, as a chaplain, was addressing their spiritual needs. Both served in various ways without the need to be praised as their charity was an outpouring of their faith.
The Command
“Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.” This passage in Zachariah is one of the most complete and succinct commands to dispense charity. In Micah 6:8 adds walking humbly with God. God desires that we be sensitive to and address the needs of the: poor, widows, orphans, sick, prisoners, afflicted, outcasts and strangers as a humble acts of charity when God provides the means and opportunity. Finally, we aren’t to seek to harm anyone whether aggressively or in retaliation. Rather we are to wait for God exact justice as He sees fit.
The Example
Like my parents, God has sought to teach us charity and justice by example. As our Heavenly Father, Almighty God has sacrificed His son on our behalf for the sake of justice. As our Savior, Christ has compassionately born our sin, reconciled us to the Father and clothed us with righteousness. As our Redeemer, Christ Intercedes on our behalf with complete understanding of our weaknesses. In kindness, the Holy Spirit intercedes to perfect our prayers and helps to refine us. In these acts and a myriad of others, God demonstrates His love, humility, kindness and compassion to a lost and undeserving humanity. We are to do likewise.
The Tendency
Sadly our culture prefers to pay others to be charitable. It is politically correct to expect the government to provide for all of the needs of its citizens as well as donating to the needs of other countries. Another option is to donate money to a charitable organizations hoping that they will act in our stead. Further, some expect that tithes and offerings will cover the needs of those within the church. There are several problems here. Time again we hear stories of people abusing government aid and choosing to make government subsistence a way of life rather than working. While I support giving to charitable organizations, one has to carefully choose who to trust to ensure that the resources that God has made us stewards of is not wasted. These donations should be in addition to our act of charity rather instead of. Another concern here is that donors may be more interested in the offsetting tax benefit rather than need, hence, little sacrifice on the part of the donor. The church is where it gets really personal in that some may assume that by tithing, they are relieved of personal obligation. If we as Christians pay our taxes, give to charities, and tithe assuming that these act satisfy our responsibility, there is no kindness, no compassion, no sacrifice, and little if any obedience because we have removed ourselves from the interaction. Further, these forms of charity do little or nothing to build community.
The Better Way
Christ became flesh and dwelt among us. Life in this sinful world is messy. Yet Christ humbly stepped into our environment meeting the needs of many who came to Him, teaching even when rejected and ultimately dying on the cross for our salvation. Like Christ, the better way is to get involved with those around us and be a community. When we do, we have the opportunity to interact, build relationships, mentor, share the gospel and assess further needs. Kindness and compassion cost nothing; giving of our time is honoring to God; and any monetary sacrifice is an offering out of what God has blessed us with. The better way is both obedience and a blessing to all.
The Challenge
To be sure charity and justice require wisdom and discretion. Personally, I don’t give to panhandlers. I don’t know their true need. As a deacon in a small church in a poor area, I learned that giving gift receipts or paying an expense directly was a better option than a cash handout. Another lesson was that it is better err on the side of helping when it may not really be needed rather than turning away someone who was truly in need. Finally, we must be sensitive to those in need who won’t express their need. In this case, relationships and community truly help the process. Whether in word or deed, any act of charity or justice should be preceded by asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance so that we can best meet the need and do no harm.
The Cost Turning Away
While I prefer to speak to obedience and the blessings associated with following God’s commands, I feel a bit compelled to speak to the seriousness of the topic. In the passage above, God points out that the Israelites “refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing…They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit.” In verse 14 we learn that this is one of the reasons that Israel was overthrown and taken into captivity. Further, the only thing worse than not being charitable is oppressing the poor and the afflicted. To oppress the poor and the afflicted is to reproach God and to cause Him to plunder the offender. (Proverbs 14:31 and 22:22-23)
The Benefit
As we obey God’s command for charity and justice, we act as both His representative and the means of His mercy. Whether great or small, these acts of kindness and compassion allow us to share the gospel, build relationships, mentor, strengthen and encourage. In fulfilling God’s commands, we not only help others, but we become more like Christ and draw closer to God strengthening our faith.
I’m grateful for the example that my parents provided. They were never wealthy and quite busy, but were always willing to help out as the need arose…even if the timing was inconvenient. Because of my health issues and other life events, I am easily overwhelmed. The thought of meeting my own needs often seems daunting, let alone helping someone else. However, that is exactly when I need to put my faith into action. If I truly believe that God is able and is enough, then I must also believe that HE will provide the spiritual, mental and physical strength as well as the resources to meet the needs of others that He brings before me. May I never be so wrapped up in my own problems that I am unwilling to help my neighbor. I encourage you to be like minded.
How blessed is he who considers the helpless; the Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.
Will