When Helping Hurts
July 25, 2009
You’re in an African country on a short-term mission trip, interacting with a group of poor persons. One of them becomes sick, and needs $8 to buy penicillin. Should you buy the antibiotic?
You are concerned about a poor area of an American city. Should your first step be to assess the needs of the people?
Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett say the answer to both of those questions is no. In their new book, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself, the authors argue that most attempts to deal with poverty end up exacerbating underlying problems in both the rich giver and the poor receiver. They lay out a biblical understanding of poverty, identify principles for helping the poor, and then apply those principles to domestic and international settings. Along the way, they illustrate both effective and ineffective interventions – including their own errors and mistakes.
In Part I, “Foundational Concepts for Helping Without Hurting,” the authors emphasize the holistic nature of Jesus’ work. As we will sing tomorrow,
He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free;
To take away transgression and rule in equity.
While on earth He preached the Gospel through His words and through His actions. We, His church, are to do the same, until He comes and ends all wrongs. Christ is Lord of all of life – so the Gospel has implications for how we live every moment of every day.
How does this change our understanding of poverty? Poverty, argue the authors, is about much more than a lack of resources. It is about feelings of “shame, inferiority, powerlessness, humiliation, fear, hopelessness, depression, social isolation, and voicelessness” (p. 53). God created us to be in healthy relationship with Himself first of all, giving glory to Him, and then with others, the rest of creation, and ourselves. And these relationships are embedded in an interweaving web of economic, social, political, and religious systems. The Fall has broken all of these relationships, and led to systems that exacerbate this brokenness.
What we normally think of as poverty – the lack of material resources – is only one aspect of the breakdown of our relationship to the rest of creation. Apart from God’s redemption, we all experience breakdowns in all four of those key relationships, and each of those is a type of poverty. Even the rich are poor in some of these senses. Furthermore, those who are materially poor often are suffering from all types of poverty, not just materially.
In particular, one type of poverty we American rich people normally experience is thinking that we are great, we are the helpers, we are the givers, we are the problem-solvers – that we are, in a sense, God. When we then try to help those who are materially poor and suffering from the opposite sense of themselves – shame – we often, even while providing material goods, make our own god-complexes worse while increasing the shame and poor-self-image of those we are helping. In such cases, helping hurts – it hurts both the giver and the receiver.
Fikkert and Corbett’s approach to the issue is masterful. They manage to discuss poverty in a way that is informed by economic research but not limited by it, in a way that acknowledges the impact of economic and political systems on poverty, while also acknowledging individual responsibility. Thus they avoid sounding like Republicans or Democrats, conservative or liberal – they instead sound biblical.
Along the way, the authors discuss the importance of the material and social assets of the poor, microenterprise development, and savings and credit schemes. The last three chapters draw out lessons in three key areas: Short term missions trips – a devastating critique of most, even while laying out principles for healthy trips – domestic poverty alleviation, and international development work.
The book is structured particularly well for small groups to read together. Each chapter begins with questions to ponder and discuss, and then concludes with follow-up, questions for reflection that help the reader apply the chapter’s lessons both to the specific issues brought up in the chapter’s opening questions and more broadly. The website www.whenhelpinghurts.com provides a large number of additional helpful resources.
Should you read this book? If you’ve ever been on a short term mission trip, or think you might – Yes. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not to give to a beggar – Yes. If you’ve ever wondered how to live out James 1:27 – Yes.
In other words: Read this book. There is no better book on the subject.
Preparing for Resurrection Sunday
April 9, 2009
As you contemplate the death and resurrection of our Savior this weekend, I encourage you to read the passion and resurrection accounts in the four gospels. Justin Taylor has posted part of a chart from the ESV Study Bible that helpfully lays out the parallel passages on the events during the last few days of Jesus’ life, and Resurrection Sunday.
Also, I encourage you to read or listen to an excellent sermon on the cross or the resurrection. I’ve compiled a list from various preachers at this link.
Lincoln’s Logic on Slavery Applied to Abortion
January 24, 2009
Numerous excellent articles related to abortion have been published in the last week. Some are indexed here. This post by John Piper is especially powerful. Two excerpts:
Lincoln: “You say A. is white, and B. is black. It is color, then; the lighter, having the right to enslave the darker? Take care. By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with a fairer skin than your own.”
Piper: “There are no morally relevant differences between white and black or between child-in-the-womb and child-outside-the-womb that would give a right either to enslave or kill the other.”
Do You Have Ears? Then Hear!
January 24, 2009
[For a version of this devotion that is easier to print, follow this link.]
Do you listen? How is your hearing?
Jesus thinks listening is vital: He says, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!” (Mark 4:9 NET).
Most of us have the physical equipment to hear. And yet so often we fail to listen.
Listening is never easy, is it? All of us are so easily distracted – even in church. For example, when someone gets up during a service, perhaps to go to the bathroom, at least one-third of the eyes in the sanctuary follow the person out the door – making sure, I suppose, that the person doesn’t fall down.
Sometimes we listen, but don’t really hear. This was the case with Ezekiel. God tells His prophet that to the people of Israel:
you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. (Ezekiel 33:32 NIV)
Ezekiel had become an attraction, an amusement. And note that the people responded to his preaching! They expressed devotion, but their actions belied their words. So Ezekiel was to them a performer, a maestro, fun to listen to but having no impact on their lives. They responded aesthetically – but they did not really hear him.
In Mark 4, Jesus emphasizes again and again the importance of truly hearing Him.
- Verse 3: His first word to the crowds is, “Listen!”
- Verse 9: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
- Verse 23: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
- Verse 24: “Consider carefully what you hear!”
- Verse 33: “Jesus spoke the word to them, [literally] as much as they could hear.”
In this chapter, He relates the parable of the farmer who sows seed on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns, and on good soil. The seed on the path is eaten by birds; the seed on the rocky soil and among the thorns initially springs up, but dies; the seed on good soil bears a hundredfold more seed.
We frequently understand this parable as referring to evangelism: the evangelist spreads the word; some people never respond; some people appear to respond, yet fall away eventually; others respond and bear fruit. That interpretation states an important truth.
But in context in Mark, I believe it preferable to think of the different grounds as yourself at different times. Ask yourself: How am I responding to the word I hear right now? What barriers prevent me from hearing the word and putting it into practice?
We all want to be like that good soil, multiplying the seed of the word, bearing fruit, giving to others God’s love and life. What does this parable teach us about overcoming barriers to hearing – so that we might be that good soil? Read more
Reading John Calvin
January 1, 2009
Reading God’s Word is central to delighting in God. Of secondary but still of great importance: Reading other works that help us understand God’s Word and to delight in the God of the Word.
John Calvin was born July 10, 1509. This year is thus the 500th anniversary of his birth. His Institutes of the Christian Religion is of great importance historically, being one of the most influential books ever written. It is also one of the most original books ever written, becoming the pattern for all subsequent systematic theologies.
But I encourage you to join me in reading The Institutes in 2009 not for those reasons. Instead, read The Institutes because there is little else you could do with that amount of time that will deepen your love for God more.
I have never read The Institutes cover to cover; I’ve only used it as a reference. So this will be new to me also. I look forward to following the five-day a week. 5-8 pages a day reading schedule put out by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals; on their blog, scholars and pastors such as Sinclair Ferguson, Ligon Duncan, and Carl Trueman will post short comments on each day’s reading. See this post by Ligon Duncan for ten reasons to read The Institutes.
Numerous new and used copies of The Institutes are available; the book is also available online. If purchasing a copy, make sure you buy the 1559 edition, unabridged. Most unabridged editions consist of two volumes – make sure if buying used that you get both!
Join me in this commitment. And fulfill Philippians 4:4 more fully in 2009.
Bible Reading Plans
January 1, 2009
The Psalmist says, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). One of my prayers for 2009 is that this verse might become more and more true for all of us in Desiring God Community Church.
If we love God’s Word, we will read it; if we are to meditate on it all the day, we must memorize it. Note: reading the Bible is not the goal, but a means to achieve the goal. Memorizing Scripture, likewise, is not the goal, but an intermediate step that enables us to meditate on it.
Even loving God’s law is not the goal. The psalmist loves God’s law because it is God’s; that is, because it is God’s precious and unique revelation to us about Himself, His creation, and ourselves. We love God’s law because we love God; and we love God more when we come to know Him more and more deeply through daily reading of His revelation of Himself.
In 2008, I fell somewhat behind in my daily Bible reading; four daily readings remained the morning of December 31. I read two upon waking, and then, about 9 in the evening, left our evening festivities and read of the excellent wife in Proverbs 31, of God’s delight in those who fear Him and hope in Him (Psalm 147:10-11), and Jesus’ promise to wipe every tear from our eyes when He comes soon (Rev 21:4-8, Rev 22:20).
This morning I began once again the Bible Unity Reading Plan – reading of creation and fall (Gen 1:26-27, Gen 3:1-19) and the Word made flesh to redeem mankind and all creation from that fall (John 1:10-18). I also rememorized this week’s Fighter Verse – first memorized in 2000 when I was resident in Minneapolis and Bethlehem Baptist began this same set of Fighter verses:
Deuteronomy 7:9: Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
So I encourage you to begin the year by joining me in committing yourself to read the entire Bible and to memorize this entire set of Fighter Verses in 2009. Make this commitment in order that you might meditate on His Word day and night, and so know God better and love Him more. May the Word dwell in us richly, so that we rejoice in Him fully, and do all to His glory (Colossians 3:16-17).
Here is the list of Fighter Verses for this year. And below find links to some Bible reading plans that I have used (Justin Taylor has a helpful post pointing to numerous other reading plan options): Read more
The Heart of the Gospel
August 28, 2008
(For a version of this devotion that is easier to print, follow this link.)
What is the heart of the Gospel? What does the Gospel teach at its core?
In our adult Core Seminar this week, we consider this issue by means of J.I. Packer’s “The Heart of the Gospel,” chapter 18 from Knowing God (republished by Crossway this year in In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement). In this chapter Packer explains the central importance of propitiation – that is, of averting God’s anger over sin by an offering. He explains the reason why so many take offense at the idea, the biblical support for the idea, and the importance of the idea in our Christian walk.
Here is a brief outline of the chapter to whet your appetite. Please read it if at all possible, and join us this Sunday as we glory in Christ’s work on our behalf. Read more
Beth on the Race of Faith
August 7, 2008
My sweetheart Beth has been elaborating on the present sermon series on her blog. Here is an excerpt from one of her posts. Read the whole thing:
Will my children remember their mother reading the Bible consistently? Will they picture in their minds a straw basket with Bible, Valley of Vision prayer book, journal, and prayer notebook? Will they picture their mother swinging gently on the porch swing, Bible in hand or curled up in the wing chair in the music room, head bowed. Will it be a consistent memory?
It is certainly not just for the memory in my children’s minds that this consistency is important. Oh no. It is vitally important for now, for every day, for wisdom and discernment, for knowledge and understanding, for contentment and spurring on. It is as vital to my life as an Olympic athlete’s consistent training is. No, it is more vital. Because, unlike the Olympic athlete who may only take his gold medal as far as the grave, the benefits of consistency in walking with God are eternal.
Coty said in the sermon, “consistency makes a statement to yourself, ‘I am a child of God‘.” That’s who I am. Spending time in the word is simply what a child of God does, like running is what a runner does. I can’t live without it.
Submission and Disagreement
July 19, 2008
(For a version of this devotion that is easier to print, follow this link.)
In Sunday’s sermon, we looked at Hebrews 13:17, which reads in the NIV:
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
In discussing this verse, I said, “Submission only comes into play when there is a disagreement.”
Several of you have asked (respectfully and submissively!) if this is correct, particularly considering that God the Son submits to God the Father. Surely there is no disagreement between them!
This is an excellent point, and many thanks for the input. I’ll correct my statement briefly next Sunday; here let me elaborate on the idea more fully than will be possible in the sermon. Consider first the nature of God the Son’s submission to God the Father: Read more
Sins We Blame on Others
June 26, 2008
My friend Ben Reaoch, a pastor in Pittsburgh who frequently attends our church planter network meetings, has a challenging and convicting post on the Desiring God blog, listing 12 sins that we regularly blame on others. Here are the first two; read all twelve, and ask God to search your heart:
1) Anger
I wouldn’t lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate.
2) Impatience
I would be a very patient person if it weren’t for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn’t have so many things to do, and if the people around me weren’t so slow, I would never become impatient!
