Comments on: Who Should Take the Lead in Helping the Poor?

By: Maria

Maria — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:57:00 +0000

I think it is important to be a good steward of your resources.. before donating your time or money, you need to consider whether it is the best use of it.

By: FinancialBondage

FinancialBondage — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:04:41 +0000

It is the church that is suppose to help the poor, but since the government stepped in years ago (welfare, food-stamps, and other entitlements) the church backed away from this to a large degree.

By: Deciding Whom to Help: The Burden/Load Principle

Deciding Whom to Help: The Burden/Load Principle — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:17:07 +0000

[...] God expect us to literally help every needy person we encounter? This would seem to contradict his commands of good stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30). [...]

By: Christy

Christy — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:35:28 +0000

If anyone is interested in donating or volunteering with a great organization, you should check out universalgiving.org. It’s a great site, where you can find many different organizations to give to, and you are guaranteed to be partnering only with top-performing NGOs because Universal Giving has a rigorous vetting process, that evaluates them on everything from financials to leadership. They also take no cut, so 100% of you donation goes to the organization you choose!

Check it out, they have a pretty extensive database! universalgiving.org

By: Graduation Roundup

Graduation Roundup — Sun, 16 May 2010 14:02:57 +0000

[...] Who Should Take the Lead in Helping the Poor? at Redeeming Riches [...]

By: Aury (Thunderdrake)

Aury (Thunderdrake) — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:55:02 +0000

A big problem I find (ESPECIALLY amongst today’s rich) is that people are particularly condescending to the poor. And it’s such a disgrace in my emerald eyes. They either do that to puff their egos and reputation… Or to get a tax break. Go figure…

I think what the poor need (especially in less developed nations) more than anything we can give them financially, is something that improves their standard of living without compromising their lifestyles.

For once I’d like to see the latter happen. I feel like I’m asking too much for that though. Haha…

As for what I’m giving, I’m hoping that I can give enough education and motivation in regards to abode mastery and, like you, finance. In my eyes, the best life to live, is a belfry and peaceful one.

By: Have You Flipped a House? / Weekly Roundup

Have You Flipped a House? / Weekly Roundup — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:02:27 +0000

[...] Who Should Take the Lead in Helping the Poor? at Redeeming Riches [...]

By: Credit Card Chaser

Credit Card Chaser — Fri, 14 May 2010 04:33:38 +0000

@Rex I agree with you fully – unfortunately President Obama plans on doing quite the opposite by cutting back the current tax deductions for charitable contributions for those making more than a certain amount of money which would discourage private charitable contributions even more: http://philanthropy.com/article/Obamas-Plan-to-Reduce/63024/ – Joel

By: Rex Huston

Rex Huston — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:52:58 +0000

I think many of our government social safety net sort of programs keep people poor as well as deter individuals from taking initiative to help out the poor in there own way. These social programs are terribly mismanaged and gouge tax-payers to pay for them. Religious or community based programs that can help out people on an individual bases are then hurt because there members can not afford to donate. If we eliminate the government programs and subsequently lower taxes, there will be more money for private donation to these smaller charitable organizations that are better run and more dynamic in their abilities to help the poor. This would provide a bottom up approach to help solve the problem.

By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut

Kevin@OutOfYourRut — Wed, 12 May 2010 01:22:52 +0000

Wow, you’ve covered a lot here Joel!

We always seem to have issues with the individual vs. government, then often fall back on Rom 13 as perhaps the most concise biblical pronouncement on the role of government. Personally, I have a few issues with the use of Rom 13 in this way…

1) Rom 13 talks about those in authority, which extends to church leaders, employers and others in authority, as well as to government. We’re to have an obligation to respect those in authority, not just political figures.

2) From a Christian perspective, government is to act in the same manner expected of the individual. There is no exemption to Godly directives by virtue of the fact that we operate in a group, be it a mob, a family, a company or a government. It isn’t “the people must do this, but the group is excused”. Government is also under God, but like individuals, it often misbehaves. It has a divine appointment, but it isn’t divine by virtue of that appointment, any more than any of us as individuals with our own specific appointments.

3) God appoints authority, but this is a generic concept. If we think it’s specific, then we have to believe that God appointed the likes of Hitler and other diabolical leaders, which can’t be true.

4) The fact that government does or doesn’t do something, doesn’t relieve us of anything, so our responsibility to the poor remains even if government is involved.

I think I might have overreached a bit here, but Rom 13 is one of those passages that gets me going. Sorry!