“A person’s first responsibility is for the needs
of their own family and friends” In these times when we seem to hear a lot about job cuts and unemployment rates rising, I find myself asking “where is the church we read about in Acts?” - Are there needs to be met?
- Do we see our responsibility to our family?
- Can we make a difference?
- Do we want to?
Inspired by the circumstances of friends and family, I see needs in the church that can be met if we rise up and recognise that what we call our own is not, it belongs to God. We find it easy to accept that God gives us every good and perfect gift, but can we give it back? Of course we can, the question still remains, is it our own? I’m not by any means telling you to sell your land or your house and give the money to those with need as they did in Acts, not unless you believe it is how you should respond to your brothers and sisters in Christ. Though I would urge you to examine your resources and identify where in your life you have abundance and ask God what to do. A great line from Alexei Torres Fleming, “If you have too much then it’s not yours” Kingscare has always had an emphasis on meeting the needs of the poor in developing countries like Sri Lanka and India. But in these times where the whole world seems to be making cut-backs, we recognise that for some, home is where your heart is and that you may be called to change the life of someone in your congregation, rather than, or as well as, the life of someone from one of our overseas projects. What do I mean?
Why not adopt the Tesco motto “Every little helps.” No matter how big or small you think it is, a gift of £10 might just be the difference between paying and not paying the rent on time. - Do you need work doing in your garden?
- Were you going to pay someone to paint your hallway this summer?
- Have you got some temporary work going in the office?
- Could you afford to pay your babysitter?
- Do you have spare food in your kitchen cupboard?
It’s about an attitude of heart, when we see needs presented before us, we need to ask ourselves “What can I do?” I don’t mean find a job for someone who is unemployed, not many are in a position to be able to do that, but we can position ourselves to be able to alleviate the effects of unemployment on that person or their family. For most of us this kind of situation is just too big for us to handle on our own, but as long as we are positioning ourselves to help, God can work through us. You don’t know what kind of an impact you may have until you do it. As long as we don’t adopt the attitude that says “Someone else can do it, it’s too much for me,” we will find miracles of God’s provision breaking out through our churches and even in our own lives. Don’t leave it to someone else. Having been in debt before, I know that once the letters from the debt collectors start, it becomes even harder to see a way out and it appears you are surrounded by debt and debt collectors. As the body of Christ, is it our responsibility to support our brothers and sisters, just like in Acts and before it goes too far. Much like when David sent Joab to battle against the Ammonites and the Syrians, Joab agreed with his brother Abishia that if the Syrians were too much for him to handle, his brother would come to help him. Joab would do the same for his brother if the Ammonites got too much for him (1 Chronicles 19). Our responsibility to our brothers and sisters is exactly the same. When the odds are stacked up against them we must help each other out. Surely as followers of Christ this is something we subscribe to. Think about your family, your friends, the people in your church who are out of work or struggling to pay their bills, people you know who are getting calls from debt collectors, or someone who just can’t afford to get the basic food items they need to survive the week. Give them a job, let them walk your dog, weed the garden, pay a bill for them or direct them to debt counselling charities. Help them out because when the odds are against you, you’ll need them. If they say they don’t want charity, tell them it means love. It is charity because it is in love that we do acts of kindness. When looking up the meaning of ‘charity,’ the Oxford Dictionary quoted a proverb: “A person’s first responsibility is for the needs of their own family and friends.” It also quoted a very well known phrase, “Charity begins at home.” It is remarkable that the secular definition of charity is very much in line with the Christian view of charity, the love of family, friends and home. Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, Oh man, what is good: And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, Love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”(NKJV) We’re all tightening our belts at the moment, either because the cost of living is creeping up, to save money, or to plan for the worst should we lose our job. In all this self preservation, are we prayerfully considering those that have to endure the circumstances we are making contingencies for? Isaiah 58:6-10 “I'll tell you what it really means to worship the LORD. Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused! Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don't turn away your relatives. Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, and you will quickly be healed. Your honesty will protect you as you advance, and the glory of the LORD will defend you from behind. When you beg the LORD for help, he will answer, "Here I am!" Don't mistreat others or falsely accuse them or say something cruel. Give your food to the hungry and care for the homeless. Then your light will shine in the dark; your darkest hour will be like the noonday sun.” (CEV) It is all too easy to find direction in the New Testament for what we should do in the situations we find ourselves in. I find it remarkable that we can be ignorant to the truth in the word about our responsibilities to people in need. It’s your time, for the people on your door step! | 
