When I was young, Jim Reeves used to sing a song with the words:
“This world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore”
Now, I understand what the songwriter was trying to say, but I can’t say that I agree with him. This world IS our home and we have the opportunity of making it a better place for future generations.
Years ago, soon after the formation of Kingscare (now known as Karuna Action), I attended a seminar which brought people together who represented Christian organisations working overseas. I can only remember one particular statement. It has stayed with me since.
“People give to people”.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:6 NIV)
I have never known true physical hunger, but I am well aware that millions of children go to bed every night desperately hungry. My life has never been threatened by thirst, but I can well imagine that thirst becomes the overriding priority of a man crossing a desert.
The government of the United Kingdom says that is trying to encourage people back to work and reduce dependence upon state benefits. To do this, most of the emphasis has been on reducing benefits. I believe that rather than the stick of reducing benefits, more could be achieved by the carrot of increasing the minimum wage. In turn this would reduce our benefits bill and increase our national income through Income Tax, National Insurance, Value Added Tax etc.
There are about 1,350,000 people in Britain who only receive the minimum wage with a further 4 million earning less than a “living wage” (see below). Because it is impossible to support a family on this level, a great number of these will also be receiving state benefits. It is wrong that we, as taxpayers, should be subsidising companies who fail to pay a living wage to their workers. Continue reading “Why we should increase the minimum wage (UK)”
Giving is a way of life, not just an optional extra to make us feel better. These verses from the Bible show that giving enriches our lives as well as enriching the lives of those we give to. It is a win-win situation. I am not promising you cars and yachts but I am saying that having a generous heart will make you a better and happier (or in biblical language, blessed) person.
Giving, is the way of love, compassion and justice and can set us apart from a world system so often based on self-interest and greed. Because we are made in the image of God, all human beings have, deep down, a desire to give and to love. Let us rediscover the joy of giving, and together change this sad old world of ours!
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10 Continue reading “Giving in the Bible”
When it comes to human relationships, love, compassion and justice must go hand in hand. In talking about social justice I am not talking about justice as retribution or punishment but as justice in the way we treat our fellow-man. When people are wronged, they may cry out for justice to be done, and often won’t be satisfied unless the wrongdoer is punished for their crimes against them. Social Justice demands that we correct the unfairness of society but does not demand retribution or punishment.
Everyone wants to feel accepted. There is a deep need to be accepted by other people, spouses, family, friends, colleagues and society. Yes, we need love, but we also need the respect and acceptance from those around us. We need to know too that God accepts us just as we are, unconditionally. We should accept other people too, particularly people who are different, and celebrate our differences, not despise them. But first of all we must learn to accept ourselves and then we will be free to accept other people. Continue reading “Acceptance”
JUSTICE WITHOUT LOVE IS LEGALISM.”
For many years the strap line for Kingscare (the former name of Karuna Action) was, “God’s love in action”. Love is voluntary, and is an excellent motive for giving.
Compassion and Justice 