Help others? Why should I?

Help others? Why should I?

Several years back, I had a long-running online Question of the Day on social media. I would ask a moral question in a more up-to-date way and try to couch it in an everyday life way. Things like, “Who do you find more trustworthy, someone who says they are, or someone who doesn’t say a thing, but you see doing the right thing?” Then, as a follow-up, I would ask about a public figure who matched the descriptions I gave before. It would create an open and sometimes heated conversation.

Who’s Ever Helped Me?

The one conversation that seemed to be almost made of T-N-T was about helping those less fortunate. Inevitably, I’d get answers like, “Why should I? What have they ever done for me?” And “They need to stop being so lazy and get a job.” When I transferred the idea of helping the less fortunate from other countries, it became even more caustic. Comments like, “I ain’t helping those people. No way! They dug their own hole; now they need to be buried in it.” That was mixed in with the inflammatory commentary were always genuinely heartfelt statements of gratitude and hope from people who either had helped others in the past or had been helped and continue to help others to this day.

An Answer…

How do we answer these people? In Matthew 25 we hear the Judgment of Nations discourse. It goes like this:

 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory… All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

They Did It to Themselves!

Some people feel they need someone else to accuse. Accusations are like falling leaves in autumn. They’re everywhere and uncontrollable in the wind. We’ve all heard, “Oh! A reporter followed the guy who sits at the corner home. Did you know he lives in a mansion?” And “I was standing behind a guy in a three-piece suit who bought a bunch of steaks and caviar with food stamps, then got into a brand new Cadilac and drove away.” Why do these people feel they need to accuse others? I don’t know. I’ve heard it explained in a few Psych classes that many times people who feel guilty lash out so they can feel better, superior to others. Another possibility is they may not be able to accept blame for things they have done either to themselves or others, so they transfer their emotions to others.

The Answer Continues…

Matthew 25 continues:

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Well, I Heard It on SO And So’s Show. It Must Be True!

Another issue on the list is people drawn in, wanting to believe what their favorite news channel tells them as the “unvarnished truth.” They don’t like anyone who is different than them, and they are happy to degrade or speak ill of anyone who doesn’t agree with their point of view. This gut reaction form of tribalism is dangerous. This narrow-minded form of tunnel vision is what has started many wars, either culturally or socially. Unfortunately, this happens on every side and color of the political spectrum. It’s not contained to “my side” or “their side” but all sides.

More Answer…

So, what awaits those who have narrow minds and hearts for those in need? Keep reading Matthew 25:

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

I Am, Above All… of This!

Alas, the list continues with people who truly do think they are better or smarter, or more worthy of what they have and contribute than others. I got a note from someone I went to high school with during the Question of the Day times that said, and I quote, “Who do you think you are?! You’re doing nothing but stirring up trouble for real Americans! If you love the F—ing Wet Backs, Camel Jockeys, and Africans so much, why don’t you just F—ing move there?! We don’t WANT your kind here. This is America! Love it or LEAVE IT! I suggest you leave it on your own two feet before you end up in a body bag.” This person is very proud to tell anyone who will listen that they have never donated to one charity, never given a dollar to a person on the street, and don’t believe in a welfare system. And they readily admit that they are the “best Christian” they know. But are they?

The full Answer Given…

The Judgment of Nations discourse Matthew 25 finishes with:

“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

What Should We Do?

In two words, stay open. I know it’s tough—when you’re being attacked, listening to outright falsehoods, or being threatened. But the only way change can be made in any situation is through dialogue and education. The only way to start that dialogue is to be open to listening to the person across the table (or the internet) from you. The one thing that helps is not just listening to the words but listening to where the person is coming from. Eventually, by listening and building a rapport, you may be able to find out who or what hurt them. What brought them to this point? When you find out that kernel of pain that makes them say, think, and act the way they do, that is when the healing, calm dialogue, and education can begin. Is it easy? Nope. Will it work with everyone? Absolutely not. Is it necessary? More so today than at any other time in history.