I’ll admit that charity has never really been my top priority; much less have I dwelt on it as an integral part of my relationship with Christ. I remember being uninterested a few years ago when my college fellowship did a series on social justice, because in my mind, helping the poor was a peripheral Christian issue – something you do for “bonus points.” I was much more focused on maintaining my relationship with Him in a mostly personal, introspective way. Of course, there’s truth to the importance of that personal aspect, but through the (W)hole series I’ve come to see this: To ignore God’s heart for the poor is to ignore a huge part of who He is.
As I was forced to come face-to-face with this issue He cares so much about, I had to examine my own attitude – not just my feelings toward charity, but also how I approach my relationship with God. In a human context, I couldn’t disregard my best friend’s greatest passion and still expect to know her on the deepest level; neither can I do this with God. His heart for the poor doesn’t just have implications for those living in poverty, and His concern doesn’t exist just to exemplify moral perfection. God’s passionate advocacy for the helpless is direct insight into His character, and it’s something that we need to pay close attention to if we want to know Him better.
As I began to realize this during the (W)hole series, I wrote these thoughts in my journal:
‘You don’t require charity for the sake of doing something “good.” You require it because you care. Those who are in pain, who are emotionally and physically tormented, who are lost and suffering spiritually, who are hungry…providing for their needs and touching their hearts, bringing them comfort – these are the things that are close to your heart. These are things that you care passionately about – because you are good.’There was a time, when overwhelmed by bitterness, I found it hard to believe that God really is good. But through this series, He has corrected and expanded my understanding of Him. The way He provides and comforts those in need is tangible proof that He is compassionate and close to the broken. Better yet, the fact that he commands us, as His people, to do the same shows that He is undeniably passionate about it. He hasn’t asked us to do anything that He hasn’t done Himself.
The dots began to connect in a personally relevant way. There's no separation in God’s character: The same loving compassion that moves Him to care for the needy is the same that moved Him to die for me, and it's the same love that moves Him to guide me even now. As we continue on to a new series, I hope we’ll continue to pursue His heart and actively engage in the causes He cares about, realizing that He invites us to enter into higher intimacy by walking in His example.
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