Hardly a day goes by when I do not receive a couple of phone calls and
letters inviting me to donate some money to a worthy cause. Hardly a year
goes by without one of my kids or my house or my car also needing some
financial help. Sometimes the steady drumbeat of financial needs makes me
wonder if perhaps the only thing important about me is is the money I have
to give to others.
Most of us are familiar with the story Jesus told about the Good Samaritan
(Luke14:25-37). A Jewish man was riding through a mountainous, remote area,
when he was robbed, beaten, and left in the road "half dead". A Samaritan
came along the road. Samaritans and Jews were the bitterest of enemies.
Yet when the Samaritan saw the man in the road, he was moved with
compassion. He braved the danger and stopped, giving the injured man
emergency medical aid. and transporting him to an inn. He then paid the
innkeeper and directed him to care for the man until he had fully
recuperated. That would have been a substantial expense.
What was Jesus doing with this story? He was showing us what it means to
love your neighbor. Jesus shows us the Samaritan responding to the
material, physical and economic needs of the injured Jew ---- the Samaritan
planned for the injured man's recovery and paid all the related expenses.
But, the Samaritan's time with the injured man was brief ---- he did not
give much of himself, other than his money.
I realize that this is exactly what most of my charity-giving requests are
asking of me. Would I simply write a check, mail it and thus be done with
this particular charity ---- until next year? This is not enough to really
satisfy me, and perhaps you feel the same way. We each have more to give
"our neighbor" than just our money!
Three on-going activities at Central Church show us ways to help us fill
this "giving gap". One is the annual Central Church High School Mission
Trip, where more than 40 teenagers and adults go for a week to live in some
needy place, to do some construction repairs on houses and roofs. But,
most importantly they develop relationships with their destination hosts.
The "hosts" are so different in life experience from the Central Church
Mission trippers, that the latter must exit their shells and give something
of *themselves*. So, it is no longer merely about giving money. But,
*what* do they give? For the children of the "hosts," who may be seriously
considering dropping out of school, or who have no real plans for their
lives, our Mission Trip teenagers encourage these host kids to raise their
sights ---- they can help the kids define a vision for themselves that
could be more fulfilling and perhaps even more financially rewarding. But
will only a week of contact and friendship do this in a lasting way? We do
not know until we give it a good "college" try.
Now, consider the Elizabethport Tutorial Program which meets at Central
Church every Tuesday evening from October until April. On a typical
Tuesday night over 100 kids gather in the Central Church auditorium. We
bus 40-45 students to Summit from the Elizabethport Presbyterian Center,
and they are joined by about 70 teenage tutors from local high schools.
On-going relationships develop between student and tutor. The tutors find
themselves encouraging their students to apply themselves more fully, and
for many students the encouragement of the tutors has boosted student
career goals and study habits.
The tutors are not giving out money ---- they are giving something more
priceless. They are giving their *own example* as achievers, and showing
the Elizabethport students some of the things that are possible for *them*
in the future. This is a lasting gift.
A totally different Central Church practice is the "Midnight Run." Each
month or so, Central youth and accompanying adults, make a hundred or so
sandwiches and a supply of coffee or soup, and troop into places in New
York City where homeless folks are known to gather in the evenings. It may
be under bridges or in city parks. There they deliver their gift of food.
But, more than that, they talk with these "friends" whom they sometimes
will meet again on subsequent "Midnight Runs." The great thing about this
endeavor is that each side discovers they are dealing with real people.
Each shared story is different for both the Central Church participants and
the homeless, but the encounter is not quickly forgotten. Which do you
think is worth more? The sandwiches and soup, or the cordial human
encounter?
Sure, not-for-profits will continue to ask for your money and mine ----
they must do so in order to keep going. But, ask yourself whether you have
something *more* to give "your neighbor" than merely your money.
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*These thoughts are brought to you by Central's Adult Spiritual Development
Team, hoping to encourage some personal spiritual growth this year at
Central Church.*
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