Charitable Delusion

With the election coming up next month, those of us active on social media have been in the trenches of one very hostile and divisive election seasons.With the rise of the Christian Left online and many Progressive Christian organizations becoming more and more established, the Christian vote has never been more divided. One thing that I have personally witnessed (to my utter disbelief and disgust) is Conservative Christians turning against the poor of our country. I have heard over and over that "they aren't really poor, they are just lazy," or equally judgemental verbal garbage (aka false witness bearing).

People I've watched and interacted with are up in arms over social programs that they feel are designed specifically to enable these "lazy, drug-using welfare queens and kings." Many of these good Christians declare that they already give enough, that the poor need to get up and work and support themselves and they even shamefully use Christ's words to his disciples, that "the poor will always be among us," against supporting social programs that would help the poor get on their feet, provide education opportunities and the chance at a better future. These people have literally grown to despise and slander the very people that Jesus told us to care for. They can't seem to see that social justice is necessary, instead they believe that charity and love alone will pull these people miraculously out of poverty, when statistics show that this is just not true.

Lord Christ, show us your heart of compassion for the poor and needy in this country. Lord help us to realize the need for social justice. Help us to be your hands and feet to the "least of these." So be it.