| The Joy of Service |
Chapter 8 |
Page 4 |
There are many other examples of similar mistakes in helping. Much of the fashionable charity of the day belongs to the same class. It is not wise help. It may make life easier for a day for its beneficiaries, but it makes them less able to struggle on in the long years to come. At the beautiful gate of the temple Peter found a beggar asking alms. Instinctively the beggar held out his hand when Peter came up. But instead of putting a coin into the man’s greasy palm, Peter began to talk to him. He told him he had no money to give him, but instead he would do something for him which would make it unnecessary for him ever to beg anymore. So in Christ’s name he cured his lameness. Surely what Peter did for the beggar was far better than any number of coins he might have piled in his hand.
We cannot work miracles like this, but ofttimes we may do that which will be as good as a miracle. Instead of giving money to one who has a pressing need, we may find him something to do which will make it unnecessary to give him the money. Or we may put cheer and courage into a man’s heart, enabling him to earn the money he needs. Either of these ways of helping is far better than giving money would be. The man’s spirit of independence is preserved. He is trained in self reliance. His self respect has not been impaired. Then he is stronger now for life in all the future. Overhelping is unwise helping – it does harm rather than good. Our best friend is not the man who makes life easy for us, but the man who inspires, impels, even compels, us to do our own best.
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