Charity begins at home.

For about a year or so now I have been putting forth more effort into serving others, not only with my words and attitude but also with actions. In the process of this endeavor I have found joy of a new kind and learned a lot about the true meaning of charity and it’s vital role in our lives. As the title suggests above, I now believe that charity must first begin at home.

This does not mean what most secular people infer when quoting this phrase. I am not talking about putting myself first just to be very clear. What I am suggesting is that charity is like every other attitude or talent, it must be exercised on a daily basis. If you cannot show charity in your own home then how will you be able to genuinely translate or extend it into the community to those who are strangers?

Dictionary.com defines charity as follows:

1. generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless: to devote one's life to charity.

2. something given to a person or persons in need; alms: She asked for work, not charity.

3. a charitable act or work.

4. a charitable fund, foundation, or institution: He left his estate to a charity.

5. benevolent feeling, especially toward those in need or in disfavor: She looked so poor that we fed her out of charity.

I believe as Paul did that charity is more a form of love as described in his letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 13

The Greatest Gift

 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Charity to me is an extension of ones abilities for the benefit of another extended in humility and empathy. Being a believer of the Bible and a follower of Christ this is one of the most important concepts that we are called not only to understand but also to practice. Jesus said, John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

The question that I pose now is if we cannot forgive those we live with or hold grudges, ignore, mistreat or simply avoid, how is that love? The point is; that it is not, and I would like to suggest that like most areas in life if the foundation is weak the structure is doomed. The greatest example of Love is God’s gift of his son to us.  John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

As implied above God did not wait until we had cleaned up our act or when we asked for mercy before he sent his son, he did it while we were still offending him and his holiness. Unlike us he is actually justified in holding a grudge because he is the very nature of righteousness. He is perfect and holy and cannot stand the sight of sin and yet he extended to us charity. A perfect example of this is Matthew 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? The example here is that Love is extended to us in Grace and we should afford the same to those we profess to love, no matter what circumstance.

Love is not easy; it is a sacrifice of self for the well being or good of another. However the benefit of extending this type of true love and charity is a joy that is everlasting. So I suggest that before you try to serve the community, start first in your home and develop that foundation. That way when you expand into the community that charity you show will shine genuinely to others and have lasting implications. Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Love is not mere action; it is a choice and way of life. My prayer for you and me today is that more of this charity will be shown to everyone around us each day.