Charity or Justice

There is a deep divide between charity and justice. Charity can, at its worst be nothing more than pity. A condescending way of helping those who are "less fortunate" than you. Sometimes, even without knowing it, we give to those who have less and believe they are not much like us. 

Justice however sings a different tune. It's about making things right and ensuring that everyone has enough because everyone deserves to have enough. If we are to pursue justice, we have to first believe deep in our bones that those who have less are exactly like us.

In my experience, the Church has not done all she could in helping us to truly see poverty - in the world and in ourselves. The result of not doing so has created a charity based culture. We can give, feel good and walk away. And our giving only ensures that the problem will remain - good for us, then we can give again. 

We must come to grips with the fact that we may not really believe that the vulnerable, poor and marginalized are in fact like us. If it were our sons and daughter, our neighbors, our friends who were starving, dying, enslaved, or thirsty we would not stand for it. This is what is so striking about Jesus words, "Whatever you have done for the least of my brothers and sisters, you've done it to me."

If we are to fully identify with Jesus we must see ourselves in the most vulnerable. 

Relevant Magazine just featured a wonderful article that speaks toward how charity can hurt rather than help. Perhaps the answer is to be found in seeing - not the other - but men and women and children like us.

You can read the article from Relevant here.