Inspired even while on "vacation," the idea of Christian charity came to the fore this morning. The ultimate civics lesson centers on the individual's role and interaction with the citizenry to meet personal and corporate needs. The debate today,is over Christians rely so much on others to do what Christ taught were individual responsibilities.
Dr. Humphrey, my dear Masters' mentor, wrote to me yesterday about the woeful lack of Christian societal engagement in meeting the medical needs of American war veterans. Humphrey's personal charity toward veterans extends to helping them find the necessary medical care they need. His corporate vision is that the American Christian Church would step forward and bring that relief, rather than rely on a government bureaucracy to do so.
I posed Dr. Humprhey's question privately to Dr. Paul Speros, my personal optometrist (does that sound like an elitist statement?), and dear friend. He reminded me that were it not for the 16th Amendment, by which Americans sacrificed their financial privacy in return for paying others to do their charity, perhaps Christians would do more for their fellow man than they do today.
Speros and Humphrey are onto something here: the relationship between control of one's own property (of which income is key) and willingness to give. Americans have ceded much of their personal charitable compulsion to a discompassionate government bureaucracy, thereby believing Christ's charge to be compassionate has been fulfilled - corporately, through Washington, DC and state capitals. It does not work, it is wasteful, and most certainly does nothing to advance the Christian imperative to serve others.
When citizens send 25-35-45 percent or more of their money to government, and government provides "human services" programs, it gives the individual a sense that they have fulfilled their commitment to others. But Jesus taught that individuals serve Him when they serve others. Jesus never suggested a follower should send a thirsty man to the State Charitable Water Board for a drink of cold water.
"When you give a cup of cold water in My Name, you are serving Me," Jesus taught. The act of handing over a cup of water is a personal, close up, and perhaps tactile experience. Give a cup of water to someone and your hands might even touch, your eyes will meet, your smile and look of kindness will warm the spirit of the receiver and the giver. This is charity, and charity is love.
On the other hand, when government extracts taxes to pay for a Human Water Resource Board to deliver the cup, it will have cost us a great deal. Never mind the extremely expensive method of collecting the money, accounting for it, overseeing it, signing water contracts, establishing water distribution kiosks, checking the rights to public board usage, and hefty retirement packages for the water distributors - the greatest cost is the loss of personal engagement, the touching of hands, connecting of hearts, and expressions of personal love and respect.
Expecting government - paying government - to do what we are called to do is a horrible waste of money and an immeasurable waste of love and Christian service.
The modern measure of compassion is "the rich should pay their fair share" so I can enjoy mine.
Insurance should not be tied to where you work. All premiums should be tax deductible. People should have the right to buy the kind of insurance and benefits they want, not what government dictates they buy..
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