Giving for Justice and Equality

According to Paul the apostles writing to the Corinthian Church, their reason for laying aside a sum of money for the purpose of giving was for equality and justice. That is, out of the overflow of the Corinthian churches they would set aside money to give to those who were in need and who lacked. Equality lay at the heart of giving in the New Testament. Not to say that it was wrong to have an abundance, but where there was need amongst other believers it was an expectation that they should share what they had with others.

Another reason for giving appears to be injustice, that is those who were shown justice from others would indeed give to those who had been shown injustice. Such as when a person had something taken from them, whether it was through personal or public persecution by others, then those who had received justice would reach out to those who had been unjustly done by.

Today in our world there is much injustice. Almost everywhere we look whether it be on TV or otherwise we hear of how others are wrongly done by others. It is these people whom Paul seems should be recipients of our love and care in society. Equally there is also much poverty, not so much in our own nation with the kind of social systems we have in place but certainly it still exists.

Over and over again we find in scripture two kinds of people who it was expected in Jewish culture that should be recipients of mercy. Namely, widows and orphans who in Jewish culture had no real means of income. Once a women was widowed she had little chances of receiving an income. Most often she would remarry, beg or if possible be taken in by another family member if she had any chance of survival. Additional, orphans too if they had no benefactors would often succumb to their peril.

The question I have, in our giving through the western church, is how much of what we do really benefits those who are genuinely needy. In a nation of plenty where there is truly no lack, how do we care for those around us both us a nation and individually to our neighbours and those we interact. Is our giving today up to the biblical test or is it simply a justification of our own conscience to appease our own worldliness. What I mean is, are we truly aware of why we give and if so do we really know what happens to the gifts we give. Or do we simply give to make ourselves think we are doing good when our giving is really wasted.

Does our giving truly appease injustice and bring equality, does it truly reach the widows and orphans of todays society. Or is it a feel good operation which simply justifies our useless programs and positions of authority that we have created throughout the years. some may argue that it is better to do something rather than nothing. I am not sure of this, "obedience is better than sacrifice".

I wonder and pray?