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"And if anyone gives as much as a cup of cold
water to one of these little ones, because he is a disciple
of Mine, this man will assuredly not go unrewarded".
Matthew 10:42.
The word charity has been often been misused and misunderstood.
Some have been called charitable when they gave a little amount
to a needy person or cause even when the gift made the giver
superior and the receiver inferior.
Charity is the greatest of the three theological virtues
and is the mark of that Christian care and concern which is
outgoing to help others whatever their need. It is without
self interest and ostentation. It is gratitude for the ability
and the opportunity to be kind to those less fortunate than
oneself. It has neither pride nor hypocrisy just humility
and generosity.
The Christian believes that what he has are God's gifts to
him. Thankfulness to God requires him to care for others as
God cares for him. It gives meaning to a relationship, "the
brotherhood of man in the family of God". From the first
Christians cared for one another to meet each others physical
and material needs, there was always the recognition of the
duty to do this or to ensure that means were available for
this to be done.
While it has never been a matter of Christians only doing
works of mercy and pity - those of other religions and none
have shown similar concerns - they have been quick to respond
to cries for help from those in distress whether near of far.
Many of those who earned gratitude for their charity and charitable
foundations were motivated by their Christian commitment.
St.Basil explain: "I have learned from Jesus Christ Himself
what charity is, and how we ought to practice it; for He says:
"By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples,
if ye love one another.. Never can I, therefore, please myself
in the hope that I may obtain the name of a servant of Christ,
if I possess not a true and unfeigned charity within me".
No matter the size and extent of charities there is always
need for the little acts of kindness of people to people.
Jesus spoke of the cup of cold water. A kindness may be just
a comforting presence to someone alone and lonely, the provision
of a listening ear and an understanding heart. "They
serve God who serve his creatures". We all have our problems
but they should not be allowed to blind us to those of others
or discourage us from helping them.
When a Chicago heiress was suffering from an obscure disease
her parents learned of the one surgeon who was successful
in this field. He was Dr. Adolf Lorenz of Vienna. he came
on their plea and performed a successful operation on the
girl. Engaged to give a lecture at a university in a mid-western
town he went for a walk and as night fell he got caught in
a thunderstorm. Soaking wet and miserable, he sought shelter
in the only house in sight to be told by the lady at the door,
"Go away we have trouble enough here". Lorenz tramped
on until found by anxious friends. Next day the lady who had
refused shelter to an unwelcome caller was shocked to learn
that she had turned from her door the man she had been trying
to contact to treat her sick child. The moral of the story
is - never refuse to help another for kindness is often of
mutual benefit. Oliver Goldsmith advised, "Learn the
luxury of doing good".
In the life of Jesus there are many illustrations on how
people should conduct themselves. His healings were responses
to human need. Paul in his great poem, First Corinthians 13,
spells out what charity is and how it affects the lives of
people who take seriously the obligations of personal, family
and society duties and responsibilities. To accept what Paul
writes is to conclude that "there is no Christianity
where there is no charity".
Charity is never restricted to giving money or goods, there
is constant and clamant need of it in thinking and speaking
in a society like ours where we have suffered continuously
and grievously from wrong thinking and the terror of the tongue.
S.E.Long (Canon)
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