Comments on: Repave the Road to Jericho http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/ The Way of My Heart Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:28:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: jbstansel http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-434 jbstansel Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:03:53 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-434 I apologize for making it seem as though you said those things. My only intention was to show that no matter what the term, handouts or gifts, whatever you call them, can be a beautiful way of pointing the brokenhearted heavenward and showing them by action that God's people care about the lowly. I apologize for making it seem as though you said those things. My only intention was to show that no matter what the term, handouts or gifts, whatever you call them, can be a beautiful way of pointing the brokenhearted heavenward and showing them by action that God's people care about the lowly.

]]> By: adam http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-433 adam Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:06:18 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-433 glad i started some good discussion :)<br><br>please note that i did NOT say that i'm against handouts or gifts or charity or whatever you want to call it. giving without expectation of anything in return is how i try to live my life.<br><br>our charity becomes nothing more than a handout when there's no opportunity for growth that results from it. i would never argue against giving the homeless guy on the street corner a few bucks and saying "i'll pray for you". my challenge is to couple your charity with a fight to get people on their feet. equip them to rise above whatever it is that's holding them down. use what you have to give them more than some spare change or an oatmeal creme pie. work to give them a chance to make it on their own and have something to be proud of, with the eventual goal of them being able to say hey, i was there, i'm not any longer. here's my immediate help and here's how i got out. let's do it together.<br><br>i don't see anywhere in my comment that would lead someone to believe i've ever said "get a damn job!" or "it's your fault you're in this mess in the first place!" to anyone who is down on their luck. there's a way out of it if we work together and that was my point. don't make me sound like a heartless lunatic.<br><br>in my opinion generosity without opportunity is a handout, which has its place, and opportunity without generosity isn't authentic or life changing. glad i started some good discussion :)

please note that i did NOT say that i'm against handouts or gifts or charity or whatever you want to call it. giving without expectation of anything in return is how i try to live my life.

our charity becomes nothing more than a handout when there's no opportunity for growth that results from it. i would never argue against giving the homeless guy on the street corner a few bucks and saying “i'll pray for you”. my challenge is to couple your charity with a fight to get people on their feet. equip them to rise above whatever it is that's holding them down. use what you have to give them more than some spare change or an oatmeal creme pie. work to give them a chance to make it on their own and have something to be proud of, with the eventual goal of them being able to say hey, i was there, i'm not any longer. here's my immediate help and here's how i got out. let's do it together.

i don't see anywhere in my comment that would lead someone to believe i've ever said “get a damn job!” or “it's your fault you're in this mess in the first place!” to anyone who is down on their luck. there's a way out of it if we work together and that was my point. don't make me sound like a heartless lunatic.

in my opinion generosity without opportunity is a handout, which has its place, and opportunity without generosity isn't authentic or life changing.

]]> By: deliveredjude http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-440 deliveredjude Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:47:27 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-440 good to know. Thanks. :) good to know. Thanks. :)

]]> By: jbstansel http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-439 jbstansel Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:40:32 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-439 haha no more than i sounded to adam, i guess. all in the spirit of sharpening and learning and....shtuff. or something. anyway, you aren't an ass. haha no more than i sounded to adam, i guess. all in the spirit of sharpening and learning and….shtuff. or something. anyway, you aren't an ass.

]]> By: deliveredjude http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-438 deliveredjude Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:37:19 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-438 ah, then please excuse me for sounding like an arrogant ass. :) ah, then please excuse me for sounding like an arrogant ass. :)

]]> By: jbstansel http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-437 jbstansel Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:25:55 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-437 I understood what Andy was saying. My comment was in response to Adam, I just didn't hit reply. Woops I understood what Andy was saying. My comment was in response to Adam, I just didn't hit reply. Woops

]]> By: deliveredjude http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-442 deliveredjude Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:13:32 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-442 I am totally on the same track as you. I think it also requires just as much action in good times as it does in hard times. We are already in the mindset of alleviating symptoms by the time we get to hard times. We're not addressing the root problems. I also agree that gift is much better. :) I think it's interesting to think that the word "charity" originally meant love. That is not the case in our society these days. And it's incredibly interesting to me. What meant love now means duty. Oh how said it is how many categories that carries into... I am totally on the same track as you. I think it also requires just as much action in good times as it does in hard times. We are already in the mindset of alleviating symptoms by the time we get to hard times. We're not addressing the root problems. I also agree that gift is much better. :) I think it's interesting to think that the word “charity” originally meant love. That is not the case in our society these days. And it's incredibly interesting to me. What meant love now means duty. Oh how said it is how many categories that carries into…

]]> By: Andrea http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-441 Andrea Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:06:04 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-441 That is true deliveredjude, very true. I think handout is a bad term anyway. Gift is much better. :) The Bible speaks so much of justice, the problem is we sometimes lose that when we focus so much on charity. Ignoring the systemic injustice around me is just as bad as contributing to it in my opinion. Furthermore, we would probably need half as many charities for the "hard times" only if we would give half as much energy to BEING peacemakers and MAKING justice happen. :) Just me. That is true deliveredjude, very true. I think handout is a bad term anyway. Gift is much better. :) The Bible speaks so much of justice, the problem is we sometimes lose that when we focus so much on charity. Ignoring the systemic injustice around me is just as bad as contributing to it in my opinion. Furthermore, we would probably need half as many charities for the “hard times” only if we would give half as much energy to BEING peacemakers and MAKING justice happen. :) Just me.

]]> By: deliveredjude http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-436 deliveredjude Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:47:40 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-436 I think that you missed the point a little. I think what's being said is that giving someone a handout is good...but is it the best? Is that dollar or that shirt really the best we have to offer? Can we as individuals, families, church fellowship, communities, states, and nations not produce better ministries and programs that empower people rather than condemn and oppress. I mean Thanksgiving for example: How many churches have canned food drives? Tons! and that's GOOD! But how many churches are starting vegetable gardens and pooling their resources to give to everyone. Few to none, but that's what they did in Acts. <br><br>I think your point is very valid, but I think you missed the overall message a little. And, amen and amen, we should be pointing them to the Ultimate provider above all. I think that you missed the point a little. I think what's being said is that giving someone a handout is good…but is it the best? Is that dollar or that shirt really the best we have to offer? Can we as individuals, families, church fellowship, communities, states, and nations not produce better ministries and programs that empower people rather than condemn and oppress. I mean Thanksgiving for example: How many churches have canned food drives? Tons! and that's GOOD! But how many churches are starting vegetable gardens and pooling their resources to give to everyone. Few to none, but that's what they did in Acts.

I think your point is very valid, but I think you missed the overall message a little. And, amen and amen, we should be pointing them to the Ultimate provider above all.

]]> By: jbstansel http://crucialencounter.com/2008/12/repave-the-road-to-jericho/comment-page-1/#comment-199 jbstansel Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:03:53 +0000 http://www.crucialencounter.com/?p=549#comment-199 I apologize for making it seem as though you said those things. My only intention was to show that no matter what the term, handouts or gifts, whatever you call them, can be a beautiful way of pointing the brokenhearted heavenward and showing them by action that God's people care about the lowly. I apologize for making it seem as though you said those things. My only intention was to show that no matter what the term, handouts or gifts, whatever you call them, can be a beautiful way of pointing the brokenhearted heavenward and showing them by action that God's people care about the lowly.

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