Look after your own.

“Charity begins at home” and “look after our own” are common refrains. We’ve seen it here. People don’t like what we are doing because they don’t believe in charity.

Fair enough.

But there is something more here, because we don’t entirely disagree. Charity does begin at home. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look after your own.

Who, reading this, would give to a charity instead of a member of their own family needing support?

But here is the thing. If you give money to support your neighbour, there is one thing you will see. The impact.

As you look over the garden fence, you will see the result of where your money went – or lack of result.

If that neighbour who asked for the money had an illness that they recovered from, wouldn’t you want to know? Or if they spent it instead on a swimming pool, wouldn’t you equally want to know?

The same is true of your charitable donations.

There is no obligation to give. There is no requirement or encouragement from us to give. BUT, if you are going to give, don’t you want to know that the money is being well spent?