I hope you are all enjoying the Perkins book. Below are a few reflection questions to get us thinking about this weeks readings.
Review the list page 22, which of these stats alarmed you? Which ones most convicted you? Which ones broke your heart? (If none of these stats broke your heart, you need to keep praying our Fransician prayer!)
On page 23 Perkins says “Sometimes our giving is motivated by guilt. When this is the case we are giving for selfish reasons – to make ourselves feel better.” What did you think of that comment. Can you give an example of a time when you responded out of guilt?
What do you think Perkins meant by his comment on page 24 “If the past thirty years have taught us anything about the poverty mentality it is that undisciplined giving can be just as distructive as the poverty it is meant to allieviate.”
Have you ever experienced the “wild card of race” Perkins mentions on page 25? Give an example
On page 29, Perkins asks “What should Christian Community look like in an hour such as this?” How would you answer this question.
Perkins says “A significant bond of trust develops when a leader is dependant on the people and the people see themselves as part of the leaders survival.” Have you ever been dependant on those you serve for your survival? What might that look like?
On page 35 Perkins summarizes the most significant human needs. Which of these needs have you personally experienced and how was your need met? How might you or your congregation help meet one or more of these needs?
How would you explain Perkins “Theology of Reconciliation” to a friend?
What do you think are the most important marks of the church?
Do you agree with Perkins that today’s church has ignored God’s call to be a blessing to the nations? (p 48) What might that look like in Richmond?
Filed under: Reflection Questions, Uncategorized
“If the past thirty years have taught us anything about the poverty mentality it is that undisciplined giving can be just as distructive as the poverty it is meant to allieviate”
I never really understood how distructive giving can be to people until we started working in Hillside and I began to see such a deep rooted “entitlement” mentality. Many people there think it is thier “right” to have government run programs to meet all thier needs, instead of a priviledge. When we think someone “owes” us we tend not to appreciate the service and mistreat those who are there to serve us. However, when people see things as a priviledge, they tend to treat them with respect and those who serve with respect. This mentality is a serious problem in public housing complexes and I am very careful that anything we do at Embrace does not further support this mentality.
Entitlement is a common problem with youth within the urban setting as well as in the suburban setting. Our youth and our adults feel certain inalienable rights or our natural rights our forefathers spoke of.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.” –Declaration of Independence as originally written by Thomas Jefferson, 1776. ME 1:29, Papers 1:315
So even our forefathers were trying to encourage social justice but in creating social justice, we have created a entity of entitlement and entrapment. By giving sometimes those gifts are not supportive but enable our brothers and sisters in need to continue needing and NOT become more capable and empowered.
Empowering, encouraging and teaching others is not distructive giving but the true gift necessary to succeed.
Another post to think about as you enter into this beautiful weekend. I have been with Embrace for three weeks now. I saw two friends from Richmond go homeless. I even used my van to help move one friend from her home. I helped carry her belongings to the back of her kind boss’ office where he provided her free storage. My other new friend just got into an apartment and word has it, she has a coupon from Caritas Furnature Bank to receive a bed and linens but nothing else. You should of heard the joy in her acceptance of this gift. My other friend that I helped move just got a landlord to work with her. She moves into her place on October 10th. She has $575 saved but needs $600 by the 10th. She asked me to pray for her. I am asking you to pray for her also. I have faith it will come.
I also saw a dear friend be traumatized in her neighborhood the very day of our second meeting (last night). She was sipping coffee outside her home when a SUV on her street started swaying. Out jumped 3 men, one injured. The SUV continued to drive right into her car. The two able uninjured men saw that she was a witness and ran toward her. Not being a morning person she was amazed at how quickly she fled into her home, locked the doors and ran upstairs. She kneeled and prayed for safety. They tried to get in but couldn’t. When it was quiet, she went back outside to help the injured man. He was robbed, and stabbed, so she got an ambulance. She called 911 and it took 20 minutes. She told the ambulance crew she wasn’t moving until they got the police to come. What a woman and what a God who was watching over her, keeping her safe.
There are so many blessings, so many wonderful women and men live in the permanent housing solutions as our friend Erika of Homeward renamed the projects. The projects are their permanent or permanent-like housing. To make them feel safe, to help them connect to resources, to let them know we believe in them and the Lord has not forgotten them is an honor.