… and so the adage goes, charity must begin in the home and rightfully so. Even Jesus stated that if any does not provided for his own, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. We must start where we are and work our way out. This makes a lot of sense. We’ve all heard of stories of Men who don’t care for their families but are catering to other people’s family. Mums who are not kind and gentle to their own children but loving and giving to other children. Husbands who are hostile and demanding to their wife at home but personable and giving to other people’s wife. We have seen and heard it all. Children that will not listen to a single word that comes out of their parent’s mouth but will bend over backwards for other parents. These should not be so, charity must truly begin at home.
But what happens when the charity is not accepted at ‘home’? When peace is your charity, but ‘home’ does not want peace. Home can be translated and described whichever way fits, but basically it is those closest to us. When love is not accepted at home. Jesus Christ said that if you enter a house, first say peace unto this house and if someone who promotes peace is in the house, your peace will rest on them, if not your peace will return to you. Sadly a promoter of peace is not always at ‘home’! What do we do with our peace and charity then? Do we refuse the rest of the world our charity, because ‘home’ is not receptive? Do we become charity-less? Do we withhold our hands? Do we stop our peace? I have heard insult hurled at people doing charity work atimes and people go ‘why doesn’t he go home to do that? Why is the Pastor preaching to the congregation when his children have gone haywire, etc ?
Atimes, I have wondered whether ‘home’ needs to be redefined. Jesus asked, who is my mother and who are my brothers? He answered that whoever does the will of His father. He redefined these relationships. In the same vein maybe there are times that where our charity is accepted is where ‘home’ is. I believe we must not withhold our hands because of rejection in certain quarters. At the end of the day, we are not called to everyone. Where ever we are burdened and feel the prompting we do well to respond. Because Jerusalem has not accepted our charity does not mean Samaria will not embrace it.
Please stay Charitable!
Beautiful Ivory 