"Why Centralized Charities
Are Failing To Help the Needy"

N the parable of Lazarus and the rich man the Son of Man told a sobering tale about two men, one of whom died and in the resurrection from the dead awoke to enjoy the glory of His coming Kingdom, the other of whom died and awoke in torment, about to suffer permanent destruction in the Lake of Fire judgment for his wicked life (Luke 16:19-31).

    What was it that qualified one man for reward and the other for punishment?   Like it or not, you face the same choice that will determine which of these two possible outcomes you will experience.

    Which one are you choosing right now?

    Whatever your present status, did you know that it can be changed in an instant, by a seemingly insignificant decision that has momentous consequences to your future condition at the time of the White Throne judgment?

    Many warnings are given in scripture about the deceitfulness and danger of riches.   Actually, contrary to what most might believe, there is nothing in scripture that says being rich alone is evil, or that being poor is desirable or recommended.

    In fact, the analogy of living a spiritual life is the "storing up of treasure in heaven" (I Timothy 6:19); a lasting, abiding, real treasure unlike the decaying, temporary worldly treasures of gold, silver, precious jewels or numbers credited to your account, that are so subject to theft or loss in this evil age (Matthew 6:19-21).

    And the rich are advised about how to not allow their blessings to turn into a curse through arrogance, or by putting their hope in transitory physical wealth (I Timothy 6:17), and to use their wealth as a means to do good deeds through generosity and by sharing with those in need (verse 18).

    True riches, in fact, are described in scripture not as something we own or possess, but rather in the generosity, joy and obedience of those who follow their Creator's commandments -- even to their own temporary hurt or sacrifice, in this lifetime -- for the sake of being of like mind and spirit with our elder Brother, the Messiah (cf. Revelation 2:9, 3:17-18; II Corinthians 6:10; James 2:5).

    Members of churches and religious movements, thinking they are doing a good deed for others, make contributions toward that purpose to their church or religious order.   Often, however, rather than directly helping the poor or needy (unless using it as a means to proselytize) the church turns these funds over to a local charity.

    The local charity, in turn, often passes the buck (literally) to a well-known national charity.   But when the poor and needy approach it for help, after being put through a bureaucratic frenzy of waiting in long lines and filling out forms, they are often told: "I'm sorry, but we don't help with that."

    In fact, such charities do help, in limited fashion, in some ways, often by distributing or redistributing donated items -- such as food and clothing (but just as often profit by selling the best and giving away only what they either cannot sell because it is more commonly donated -- such as clothing -- or has a limited shelf-life, such as food) -- and volunteer help of people willing to make the effort on behalf of others.

    Usually, however, such help is limited or restricted to certain holiday or religious celebrations, while those unable or unwilling to wait in long lines or fill out seemingly endless forms -- which exist more for the sake of maintaining the incorporated organization's tax exemption status, than as a means of helping those in need in an organized fashion -- learn to do without basic necessities.

    For instance, when the gift consists of money, this is rarely or never redistributed to the poor, despite the fact that many things cannot be obtained without cash, such as gas for a car, nonfood toiletries (toilet paper, cotton swabs, toothbrushes and first-aid necessities to name a few), which are rarely or never provided by such charities.

    Often, the excuse is that many would take advantage of such generosity and misuse it to feed their addictions to alcohol, drugs or sex, and this has certainly become a prevalent problem in our modern industrialized, generally affluent societies (and hustling all the way down to criminal activity, to obtain these, has increased all the more, as new generations of children are raised in deprived circumstances, thanks to the general lack of charity shown their families and their inability to provide for their needs honestly).

    It is much harder for somebody to fool a person who thinks they know them intimately or personally, however, and we're all aware (or should be) or those who somehow "slip through the cracks" of welfare and charities, despite their legitimate needs, but are not engaged in any self-destructive activities and have no such additions to feed.

    Take somebody who doesn't believe it right to accept government welfare, because it involves enumeration for identification and forcefully takes through taxation from those who work hard, and often are struggling to avoid poverty themselves, in the face of bureaucratic bean-counters and paper-shufflers who absorb a great deal of this revenue on themselves, and the overhead costs of their agencies, just like all organized charities also do.

    And just as often, bureaucratic efforts at welfare reward the unproductive and indolent, or those who are conniving and willing to get a "free ride" on the backs of a decreasing number of hardworking, industrious and conscientious taxpayers.

    While pooling resources in charitable rather than individual efforts can more readily help the very young, aged, severely handicapped, and those afflicted with various forms of mental or physical disabilities, the conditions under which such bureaucracies operate are often disadvantageous and discourage some from seeking or obtaining such forms of help.

    Even the long lines and endless waiting, and strict rules, involved in most charitable efforts to provide meals and shelter for the homeless, can prevent and hinder those striving to better their circumstances by obtaining the means to travel to where they can get work, to find affordable housing, and good-paying, reliable work to provide for their own needs.

    Conflicts that result in the choice between bettering one's situation and being shut out of all available help as a result (such as unpaid research time and legwork that extends beyond the shutoff time for being allowed into shelters or to obtain meals, for instance) and being increasingly dependent on the charities that close their doors to prevent over-dependency or those who take advantage for selfish ends -- at times convenient and needed by those seeking employment, or with temporary underpaid and increasingly hard-to-find work -- inadvertently and unintentionally create circumstances of dependency.

    If you give to such charitable efforts, how personally involved are you in the process?

    Do you donate your time with a view toward seeking out, finding and personally helping those who deserve and need help they aren't otherwise able to find?   Are you willing to make a personal sacrifice to assist with even monetary assistance, as required?

    Or do you pass the buck, and trust others to do this job when you have the means and time to spare, who may well turn away some who seek their help without remorse or pity?

    Prime examples are church administrators who hide behind locked doors and intercoms, who are paranoid with "security" concerns and demand government-issued photo and number-based identification or documentation (which can easily be faked or dishonestly obtained for the purpose, by those who are truly untrustworthy), and turn down flat anyone unable to provide these.

    In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, the moral of the story is that one man, who had the means to do so, hardened his heart and refused to show personal compassion upon a poor beggar he knew and saw every day.   He chose to selfishly hoard his wealth -- or use it only for his "approved charities" or religion -- which in the end did no good, and perished along with him in judgment for these wicked and selfish actions.

    If you have been generous, helpful, kind and considerate, contributing to the needs of those without the blessings you have, did you know that all the reward you might otherwise receive in the judgment, for these selfless deeds, could be lost by failing to help or be compassionate to even one individual you know who has needs not otherwise being met, when it is within your ability to personally help them?

    Whether it is due to disrespecting their choice not to be involved in a government-run national "security" identification scheme, or their independent way of life, religious or political affiliations, or other arbitrary supposed standard, criteria or societal mores that inhibit your generous instinct, you could literally throw away all the good you have done in one careless, uncompassionate moment.

    On the other hand, if you have always been miserly, unwilling to help those in need, disrespectful toward those less blessed than yourself, or critical and uncompassionate toward the poor, you can avoid the lake of fire judgment, and resulting destruction for all eternity, by having a change of heart and personally giving or sacrificing your time, belongings, or excess funds on behalf of somebody you personally know is deserving.

    The responsibility you have over which end result you will obtain, when all is said and done, and your life's actions are weighed in the balance, is adequately outlined in scripture, for your admonition and instruction (See: Ezekiel 33:10-16).