Love

We are truly charged to do God's work on Earth. How shall we do so?

Some men and women say - and perhaps believe in good faith - that our mission to the poor, to the imprisoned, to widows, and to orphans should be accomplished by government. They tell anyone who opposes government action as the primary source of relief that Jesus would want our country to tax the "rich" to help the poor and middle class.

I know with all my heart that we can only do God's work through charity. Charity is by its nature personal. The giver and the recipient are directly engaged with one another. Now, in this modern age, we may give to organizations to act on our behalf. We give to food banks, to churches, to rescue organizations, to the Salvation Army, the Wheelchair Foundation, and so on. Amazingly, these organizations can reach all over the world with the money we donate. By giving, we act as God intended. And the wonder of it all is that our giving earns us not one second in Heaven. We cannot buy admission in the afterlife in the way we can join a club by paying dues. Our gifts earn us no standing with our Lord and Savior. But if we have accepted the gift of salvation, we cannot help but give.

What about those who receive from charity? First, they have taken some action in order to receive. They must know that what they get is a gift, not an entitlement. They personally interact with someone who is distributing the food, the clothing, shelter, or health care. Second, because they are ministered to in love, they have the chance to get that special love of God that human hands can deliver. When prisoners find peace in Christ, it is a personal event. When sick men, women, and children accept the Lord in their hour of dying, it is a private glory.

When a doctor treats a needy patient for free, the patient knows it is a gift. Gifts are wonderful things. Gratitude may be the shortest lived human emotion, but real gratitude is an amazing feeling. When we are grateful to others, we can learn gratitude to God. And when we are truly grateful to God, it is easy to find reasons to be grateful to men.

Now, consider what happens when the poor and middle class are helped by government. We are told by representatives of government that such help is a right or an entitlement. In other words, the recipients are owed this help by "society." Experience has amply shown that recipients of entitlements are not ennobled by government largess. In fact, they are frequently ruined by it. What can the motives be of those who perpetuate this vile and demeaning system?

The source of this "help" is taxation, overt or covert. Overt taxation is easy to see. It is the tax on your wage and interest income, on the property you own, and on the goods you purchase. When you pay your taxes, do you glory in the help your contribution will make to the welfare of others? I do not. I am highly skeptical that the money taken from my pocket under threat of force will be spent wisely or well.

Covert taxation is insidious, taking from everyone. It is called "inflation." It is what happens when government cheapens our currency. When our currency is cheapened, our savings are looted, our earnings buy less, and those who loaned money will be repaid with money worth less than they deserve. The United States government runs a deficit, which means it is either borrowing or printing the money it spends. This causes inflation. Spending phantom dollars on social welfare steals from every American.

Where is the love in the U. S. Government system? Love has no place at all in it. The funds are extorted or stolen. The administration is specifically irreligious. The recipients are "entitled" to receive what the bureaucrats provide.

Where is the love in private charity? Love is everywhere. The funds are freely given. The administration is voluntary and often religious. The recipients have asked for help, and made the crucial admission that they need help.

Perhaps you think it is demeaning to accept charity. But you don't think it is demeaning to accept goods and services extorted from taxpayers?