How should we help?

Understanding that we should help the poor is one thing, but what comes next? The instinct may be to jump in immediately and do everything we can. But it’s important to take the time to cultivate the right mindset and practices to be able to serve people well.

Unfortunately, good intentions in helping the poor have sometimes led to hurtful consequences. A few years ago, a group of well-intentioned foreigners visited a rural refugee village in Guatemala. They planned to identify a practical need within the community they could meet. After observing the women in the village spending a large part of their day traveling down a treacherous path to a nearby stream for various chores or to collect water, they decided to build a water tower, thinking it would save time and make life easier.

Months of construction and thousands of dollars later, the village had a water tower. Patting themselves on the back, the group left the village, congratulating themselves on a job well done. However, the group assumed the village could install its own pump — which was not as easy as they thought. When that didn’t happen, the village was left with an empty water tower, now used by prostitutes as a gathering spot.

The stream and pathway to it remain as busy as ever.

Not every effort will have such dramatic results, and the point isn't to discourage helping because of the fear of negative impact. Rather, it's a reminder that having the right attitude and approach is crucial in serving the poor well.

Thankfully, the Bible provides clear guidance on how we can approach helping others in a way that prevents our well-meaning actions from having a harmful impact.