Balancing Compassion and Responsibility in Christian Charity
Good day, brothers and sisters in Christ. Today, we come together to seek God’s wisdom on a matter close to His heart—how we, as His people, are to approach work and charity. The Bible, our unchanging guide, speaks clearly on these topics. It calls us to care for those who cannot provide for themselves—widows, orphans, and the truly poor—while also warning against supporting those who can work but choose not to. As a people committed to honoring God’s Word, we must understand and live out these teachings with faithfulness and discernment, reflecting both His love and His call to responsibility. Caring for Those Who Cannot Work Let us begin with God’s command to show compassion. The Scriptures leave no doubt about our duty to the needy. In James 1:27, we read, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." This is a powerful charge—our faith is not j...