Reaching Out In Innovative, Simple Ways

Reaching Out in Innovative, Simple Ways

There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. Acts 9:36

When speaking at an Impact for Living conference recently, I met a couple of guys who are finding unique ways to impact the poor. Steve Haas from World Vision establishes partnerships with other organizations or businesses to create ways in which they can take on a direct role to help others around the globe. John Kingston is a businessman in Boston, and he was becoming concerned that his children were detached from the issues of want and suffering around the world. So John started SixSeeds, an organization committed to helping families find ways to serve others.

In an e-mail to Nathan, Steve shared some of the challenges that they face at World Vision:

What was astonishing to me . . . was the amount of Scripture that underlined the fact that true justice was leveling the playing field. How we do it is everything, and simply having the mandate that we are to disadvantage ourselves for the advantage of others isn’t license for us to run out and do this poorly—or haphazardly (although in some cases that is better than doing nothing at all . . . just ask the Haitians three days into the quake who had nothing to eat). We have to . . . find constructive ways to assist and strengthen rather than avoiding or, often as badly, taking or robbing the interest in self-reliance and ingenuity from the recipient of our charity. . . . The distribution of these items can be done in a way that restores self-respect, encourages self-reliance, and builds community and personal/corporate resourcefulness. (emphasis added)

In that same vein, John has created various avenues that his family and others can take to help in hands-on ways and templates that allow families to tailor the approach to ones that work in their own areas.

In so doing, both have taken the emphasis off of the giver (Look what we’re doing!) and placed it where the Bible does—on our duty to help those who need it, and to do so in a way that leaves the person’s dignity intact and his or her future brighter.

And that’s something we all can get behind.

What idea is God bringing to your mind?

Uncommon Key > What is a simple, tangible way that you can help the poor? Sometimes the best first step is a simple one. Check out www.worldvision.org or www.sixseeds.org for ideas if you need them.