Christ and Culture - Satisfying Need
Dan Edelen wrote a post a couple days ago titled Need? What Need? that will probably provoke one of two reactions from people. You will either be completely offended by it or else it will stir part of your soul to action. Read the whole article and come back.
Dan wonders why needs that are felt in the local community are not answered by the church. I think that there are a couple of answers to this question, though I'm sure there are many other reasons.
First, I know for many people pride is a big factor in asking for help. It is for me. In our culture right now we are so caught up in appearances that we don't want to admit failure in any area of our lives. By asking someone for help, we run the risk of them finding out we aren't perfect. So, do we run people over in order to meet their needs? If someone doesn't request help and doesn't want help, we should follow God's lead and give them the ability to choose.
Also, in many areas, the church cannot meet the entire need of a certain community. Maybe the church that the old woman goes to can't meet her need. Maybe they don't have the money to be able to hand out to people. And at what point do handouts start becoming a problem. Sure, this month there may be a short term financial need, but what happens when people start to lean on the church for money each month? Since there appear to be no strings attached, then some people could start using the church benevolence fund as an ATM.
I'm all for meeting needs of people, but in situations like this, they should be one-time things. If there is someone who needs a car fixed, then the church can help them with that. If they need glasses or gas or whatever, then we can meet that need. In our church we support a ministry called Clothe A Child which gives needy kids $100 worth of new clothes. They have a shopping day once a year where the people go into a store and pick out what they want. It's a great ministry and really has grown in the past few years as our area has grown. Our church set a goal to sponsor 50 kids this year, and I think we're almost there. $5000 is a lot of money for our small church, but people are generous and give what they can.
God's plan was for Doris Buffett's organization to supply the hearing aids for this woman. I don't know that it matter so much how needs are met, but that needs are met. God will provide in His own way, in His own time. I experienced that myself a couple of weeks ago. God provided for my need through my employer, not through the church. The church won't always be the vessel that God chooses to work through. However, we must be ready and available to meet those needs that God places on us. Like Isaiah, we have to say "here I am, send me."