We are taught in the Christian philosophy that we are to help those who are poor.
Children who are orphans. The sick. And the elderly.
Nowhere in the message does it say we are suppose to help everybody that gets in line.
This Christmas season I noticed a lot of groups were falling over each other to give toys to the kids. There were lines somewhere every day until Christmas. I also noticed that the people that were getting in line were not really the poor, the sick, the orphans, or the elderly.
They came in new model cars. Some kids I will bet already had 20 toys at home but they wanted more. Nobody appeared sick. I don’t think any of them were orphans and I don’t see any old people.
I can only guess the poor couldn’t get to the line because they don’t have a vehicle. The sick were in the hospital or in bed at home. The orphans were being taking care by some state agency and the elderly probably couldn’t make it to the line. They are too old.
So it got me to think. If people want to feel good about helping others maybe they should do some homework.
The poor are probably somewhere where it’s hard to reach.
The sick are in the hospital or in bed at their homes.
The orphans more than likely are in a state agency awaiting emancipation.
The elderly are probably at their homes awaiting something interesting to happen in their lives. That’s where those that want to give should go.
The alternative is to look for organizations like the Shriners who help the disabled without the one hundred questions of who they are. They always need money to help more kids.
Giving for the sake of making you feel good is not right. You really are not helping anyone but yourself. Because giving to those who just line up; line after line was never met to be. Throwing toys and money because you want to satisfy your conscience is wrong. For several reasons it does more harm than good. The devil is proud of us by amplifying greed and all the vices it supports.
So do your homework and give to the real needy. Stop making “gimmie-gimmie” lines because you want to feel good.
One person told me, “If it helps one kid out of 50 it makes me feel good”. How about finding that one kid and 49 others who really need the help.
Every time I see an organization making “gimmie-gimmie” lines, I see it as an event for the media.
Be responsible to your faith.
Santiago Perez San Benito
