Social Justice Goodness Exposed

When it comes to helping the poor, how often does doing-good result in tangible, long-term good? Rarely, according to Laura Seay, a professor at Morehouse College. In the July/August 2013 issue of Fast Company magazine, Seay describes a phenomenon of goods-giving (known as dumping) to impoverished communities as “just treating one symptom of a much deeper problem, and treating symptoms is not a cure.” In reference to Tom’s Shoes, which donates a pair of shoes for every pair sold, she says, “The shoe seller goes out of business. He can’t send his kids to school.”

In strange fact, Tom’s Shoe disbursements haven’t been as damaging as expected to local economies but only because the beneficiaries, though thankful, say that the cloth shoes don’t survive the mud and dirt beyond 2-3 months. Poor parents still buy when they can from the local shoe sellers a product that is of sufficient quality to keep their customers loyal.

One of my favorite books about poverty states, “We must arm ourselves with patience and wisdom and listen to the poor what they want. This is the best way to avoid the trap of ignorance, ideology and inertia on our side.”
― Abhijit V. Banerjee, Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty

Christians often pursue activities of the heart. And when those strings to our hearts get pulled we too often bandwagon without wisdom. But going, giving and doing without the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit is presumptuous, arrogant and even dangerous.

“Love the Lord thy God with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your spirit.” To love the triune God, the heart’s one-third must be balanced with mind and spirit. Only then can we better discern the mind of Christ which can then “prove” what is that “perfect will of God.”

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-3

How should Christians help the poor? Housing? Education? Political influence? Dumping?

There will not be a blanket answer. Every “good” idea needs to be examined with the wisdom which can only come from above. With time, the ability and willingness to listen as “living sacrifices” we will hear as promised and when we hear, we must obey even if what we hear doesn’t satisfy our hearts.

We are Christians and though we are a people of mercy we do not stand as sentries at the crossroads of physical life and physical death. We stand the crossroads to point the way to Life Himself.

Rejoice! 

Binsey