The Dangers of Generosity
In response to Christ’s calling in Matthew 25 to care for “the least of these,” the Church often responds by raising money and donating materials to impoverished communities. Though the intentions are good, the unintended consequences are often unnoticed.
In this video from PovertyCure, Peter Greer, president of Hope International, tells of how his experience in Africa shaped his view on traditional poverty relief methods. His example illustrates the way in which a generous donation from an Atlanta-based church actually had a long-term negative effect in the poor community outside of Kigali in Rwanda.
Greer emphasizes that it’s easy to be short-sighted and give stuff away, and it’s much more difficult to make a long-term impact. The Church must carefully examine all factors in order to make a positive long-term impact. Christians are called not only to have a heart for “the least of these” but also to use their head by applying sound economic principles.
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The question: At a fundamental level, what is guiding the actions of the Church?
Are we listening only to our own thoughts and emotional responses, or are we also being guided by spiritual direction? Shouldn't God be the one guiding the church? If so, would God really direct the Body of Christ to inflate a local market?
Reminds me of the TOMS issue (http://www.valuesandcapitalism.com/dialogue/global-affairs/toms-shoes-vs...). Every time I mention to someone that I'm not a huge fan of TOMS I get strange glances, as though I had just turned off the music at a party. This is certainly a discussion that the Gen-Y and millennial generation need to have as we turn good intentions into sound solutions, because right now the issue is one-sided.
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