Ministry

We are informed that there are more than seven billion human beings living on earth, and it is presumed that each one is different than the remaining persons – with bonding similarities.  So strong is that belief that when two persons are found to be quite similar, it is presumed newsworthy.  Identical twins may actually get along well, and usually live, maintaining family ties.  They may tend to think alike, feel alike and even live for the same length of years.  Only they can inform the public that they are different from one another.  The Eng brothers, Siamese twins, married and each had children by their separate wives so we can imagine how closely they had to manage – even intimacy.  They had differences they admitted to others.  The stories are extensive of the differences between persons, good and evil, who lived and loved surviving with an appreciation for life and making contribution to family and society.  Each of us is different from all others, whether slightly or dramatically.  We manage differences fairly well, but tend to run out of tolerance when the differences are inflated – outsized.  In some ways we are doing better than in millennia past, and in some ways we are not.  Concentration of populations (cities) risk larger problems and change.

The main way in which we do less well is that there is so much more available for creating tension than formerly.  There has been a growing sense of compassion in society for the sick, deprived, handicapped, and those we might simply characterize as needy in some way.  There are means available, professional skills in abundance, and sufficient wealth available to address the problems.  Some of the problems are rather well addressed, but others seem overwhelming.  Diseases among the poor, wasteful habits among persons in all contexts, refined approaches to waste, greed, selfishness, and other motivations prevent solutions to vast ills affecting society.  A brochure from a Church denomination I received seeks funding for assistance to several thousands of children in an African nation, children suffering hunger, lack of education, neglect from adults who are intent upon matters for self, and no respectful future for either boys or girls.  I have seen, first hand, the excellent work of many churches in addressing the needs of mankind, and believe that the relatively low amount requested to begin a program of rescue will be used, if made available, for the improvement of the children, both in spiritual and humane interests.  It is truly embarrassing to the advanced nations failing to meet the needs of their people, but unacceptable that something is not done to assist the millions upon millions who have no opportunity for meaningful and peaceful life in fullness of years.  Problem solving by empathetic persons must do something more.

There ought to be some means and programs whereby the have nations can find a way to partner with missionary representatives to advance the quality of life for those victimized by the irresponsibility of their own countries and communities that we summarize to be have-not nations.  The concept of separation of church and state should not mean that there is no cooperation between them.  If some resources of both church and state are combined, the efficiencies in charity are greatly increased.  Both the charity (in this case the church or nation) and the legal sponsor (in this case the nation from which the church cooperation is extended) – the nation and the church receive benefit by the publicity as friends of the people.  In my personal observation of the social contribution of church charity abroad, I saw that the gifts were distributed to the needy and not siphoned off to officials and others who violate the meaning of the assistance to the lower levels of population status.  Private and government humanistic efforts do well in drawing upon the insights and facilities provided by missionaries in getting the most from their efforts.  This procedure may actually reduce the tensions between governments over the matter of involvement that may seem to put one nation in a superior position and another in an inferior – so in consequence to serve the people better. A major issue in Christianity is service to those who need the service.  Those served, no matter their beliefs are served by those whose beliefs relate to Jesus’ concern for the poor, the sick, the hungry.  He attached his ministry to meeting some of the needs, so feeding the crowd, healing the sick, and repeatedly reminding the disciples about the poor.  Christianity means to serve all genuine human needs.  There ought to be a way.