Welfare

<<aid, assistance>>

With a guilty conscience Cain asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9). The Bible’s answer is ‘Yes’. We too are to be concerned and always seek the highest good and safety of

What if you were in the other person’s place?

others. Scripture consistently shows God’s concern for the fatherless and oppressed explaining it is our primary responsibility to look after our own family, and any relatives who need assistance, with the Bible stating “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act” (Ps 10:17,18; Prov 3:27; Jas 1:27). If we fail to do this we are worse than an unbeliever so “Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Mk 7:10-13; Gal 6:10).

In OT times, aging parents were taken care of by the male offspring so if there were no children, especially sons, this posed a real concern as to how to provide for their daily physical needs (Ruth 1:5). In the NT Paul laid out directions for attending to those in real need and without family support (1Tim 5:3-8,16)

Genuine Christianity is practical, attending to the physical necessities of this life besides addressing the spiritual dimension (Jas 2:14-17). Compassion seeks to meet the need in the most appropriate manner (Lk 10:30-37). We should not make people dependent on long-term handouts but instead provide a one-off or short-term hand-up. Giving a man a fish feeds him today, but it is better to teach him how to fish and he can take responsibility for his own future. Challenge and encourage those who lack motivation to be involved in voluntary work if unable to get paid employment. This enables them to contribute to society, as no one should expect everything to be given to them – being idle is not a wise option (Eph 4:28; 1 Thes 4:11,12, 5:14; 1 Tim 5:13).

“Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice…He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people” as whatever we have done or failed to do to others, is in effect what we have done or neglected to do to Him (Ps 112:5; Mt 25:35-45; Heb 6:10). The golden rule is to

Do I help meet the needs of the disadvantaged?

do to others as we would like them to do to us – if our fortunes are reversed we in turn will be cared for, yet remember there is a difference between our perception of wants and actual needs (Ex 23:4,5; Prov 11:25; Lk 6:31,38; 2 Cor 8:2-15). “Blessed are those who consider the plight of the weak, for the Lord will deliver him in times of trouble” (Ps 41:1-3). Consider the example of Christ who, temporarily gave up the riches of Heaven that we might get there.

Many western countries have a welfare 'safety net' – a system or network of government funded programs to provide assistance to those in need and facing a variety of hardships. As believers we are encouraged to work to provide for our own needs as much as possible, yet due to circumstances beyond our control it is not wrong to accept this provision.