Category: Compassion

Sowing in Recession

Sowing seed in IndiaWhy is it that most charities are suffering a reduction in giving from the public? We are living through the worst recession for many years. The future is uncertain. Some have lost their jobs, but the majority are still in employment. Many people have had their wages or salaries frozen so that, because of inflation, they suffer a reduction in what they can spend.

There is a biblical principle that states that we reap what we sow. Unless a farmer sows seed into the ground there will be no harvest. If things are hard, and his family are hungry, the worst thing that they can do is to eat their seed. Without a harvest they may then starve to death. Continue reading “Sowing in Recession”

Happier giving than getting

Flour distribution in Kenya by karuna Action
Flour distribution in Kenya by karuna Action

In the Message version of  the Bible, Jesus is reported to have said, “You’re far happier giving than getting” (Acts 20:35). The NIV version says the more familiar words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive“. When I was young, and heard this quotation something within me said, “Oh yeah!” in a sceptical way. Although I acknowledged that it must be true if it said so in the Bible, I didn’t really believe it. But as I grew older the words became so obviously true, in my experience, and in my observation of other people.

A study in Canada, showed that even toddlers, who you expect to be selfish, were demonstrably happy giving treats to other youngsters, even when that treat belonged to the giver.  Continue reading “Happier giving than getting”

Selfishness or Compassionate Giving

Illustration from below book
(Photo credit Wikapedia)

Why should we give our money to other people  or to a charity? We live in a world largely based on selfishness and greed. The theory behind capitalism is that if we all look after our own interests then we will all prosper. Is there a future for altruism based on compassion and justice?

But a system based on selfishness simply does not work. The poor stay poor. Those who are less able, physically or mentally, get ignored and fall by the wayside. In practice, society has to intervene in some way. The community, church, government or the charitable sector has to care for those left behind in the mad scramble to obtain wealth.

We have all been sickened by hearing of the super-rich avoiding tax and therefore stealing from ordinary people who have no choice in paying tax on their income. We hear of politicians fiddling their expenses. Continue reading “Selfishness or Compassionate Giving”

Compassion

Compassion is a great word involving our intellect, our emotions and our actions.

“A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering”.

Compassion means so much more than pity. Pity is a feeling of sadness, but can stay as a feeling and is soon forgotten. It can be quite condescending.

Compassion means more than sympathy. Sympathy means, “feeling with” somebody. When someone is sick we express sympathy but there may be nothing we can do about it.

Compassion means taking action as well, otherwise it is not compassion. Continue reading “Compassion”

Love and Justice

“Love without justice is sentimentality,

Justice without love is legalism.”

God’s love in Action…

For many years the strap line for Kingscare has been, “God’s love in action”. Love is voluntary, and is an excellent motive for giving.

  • We need to be sure that our love is not condescending.
  • It needs to be more than just sympathy.
  • It must not be out of a sense of superiority.

We can stand alongside the Continue reading “Love and Justice”

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