The Lasting Form of Compassion
4/3/09 Reflections Some of us reach out in compassion by bringing others’ wealth down to the level dictated by equal distribution to all. Others of us encourage well-being by building wealth up and seeing that opportunities are provided to all. Only the second way is sustainable, promoting excellence, ingenuity, and personal satisfaction on it’s own without collapsing when the handout runs out like in the first way, which fosters resentment and entitlement.
There isn’t a finite amount of happiness that must be portioned out to each world inhabitant. The more we produce the more wealth there is; my good standard of living doesn’t have to take away from yours. Economic justice is about opportunity – not geography, race or religion. There will always be those too lazy to welcome help, but the honor to God’s way lies in trying to encourage opportunity whenever possible. God works through us, and he enables us by helping us make sure that we have enough to share. All things are gifts, and as the author of all gifts, God will have it His way.
In this country, the poorest of the poor are far richer than a good part of the rest of the world, but because they don’t see themselves as rich they draw the line of contribution and redistribution at their own doorstep. There’s no doubt that many of those who have way more than they need have been lax in sharing their good fortune. But this is a character flaw; a matter for divine intervention and not an excuse for government intervention. What we should be doing is making it easy and commendable for any of us to give out of our hearts; not out of duress. To me, the best way to do this is to promote entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency, not demean it out of envy, personal sloth, and/or selfishness. The greed of the poor is every bit as loathsome as the greed of the wealthy.
I’ve researched options and found that a sane way to help is through fostering entrepreneurship by making small loans to businesses in depressed areas. The process could use some tweaking, but the basis is honest and workable. Look for programs which encourage a “pass it along” system whereby the recipient himself becomes a donor to a neighbor’s business out of his or her profits. The amount of your loan is personal and you make your loan to an individual whose name you know and whose business you can watch. In other words, you know your contribution is going where it will do the most good. And you will be paid back with interest, so you can lend even more the next time or to another businessperson.
Put “microfinance loans” into your search engine and explore the rightness of giving a hand up instead of a handout; of sharing the gift of opportunity — the lasting form of compassion.
