Are You Financially Strong Enough to Accept Charity?
September 08, 2010Recently, my life group at church went to a local gas station to pump gas and wash windows for the customers, and I learned something very interesting: sometimes it is difficult to receive charity. Our goal that day was to be nice, and to offer kindness to strangers in the form of service. We were not asking for donations, we were not raising money for some upcoming event. We were simply being charitable. Now in the defense of those we met that day, I will say that in today’s world someone coming up to you at the gas station and offering to pump your gas and wash your windows seems a bit odd, but when we explained that we were simply providing service as an act of kindness, there were many who allowed us to proceed. But what about those who rejected our invitation to do something as simple as wash the windows, or those who insisted on giving a “tip” even though we explicitly said we were NOT accepting donations? I am not trying to pass any form of judgment on anyone here, but it begs the question “Do we have difficulty accepting charity?”
One of the reasons that I strive for financial success is so that I may be financially charitable, but there are other ways to be charitable. You can donate your time and talent. As an example, I volunteer at the local crisis pregnancy center, and my wife Susan is the lead coordinator of a local chapter of Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). When my children outgrow their clothes and toys, we may make a trip to the local goodwill. For us, giving back in these ways is a blessing unto itself, but while we have been fortunate to be in a position to do these things, it is equally important for us to graciously accept the charity of others.
When my wife Susan was sick during her pregnancy, we allowed family and friends to bring meals and run errands. When my neighbor knocks on the door and hands us a garbage bag full of barely worn clothes that her 15 year old son has outgrown, we gladly use it to fill the boys’ closets. (Honestly, I don’t know if we have ever had to buy clothes for the three boys.) While we are more than capable of providing for these needs on our own, to reject the charity of others in a sense robs them of the joy of giving.
I strongly believe America is one of the most generous nations on the planet, and I think we need to be just as willing to receive the charity of others as we are to give it. It doesn’t make us weak, or less of a person. It is a sign of financial maturity, so be gracious when someone extends the hand of kindness, and return the favor by being charitable to others; no matter what form it takes.