10 Ways to Practically Help The Poor

Recently, Adam Bevell, who lost his sight more than two decades ago, attended his 20th U2 concert in Nashville. Throughout the show, he held up a sign that read “Blind Guitar Player: Bring Me Up!” And, eventually, Bono took him up on the offer by inviting him on stage to strum along to “All I Want is You” and then letting him leave with a parting gift — Bono’s green guitar.

Bono is an amazing musician, but what is even more impressive is his passion for those in need. Not all of us can raise millions of dollars like he can to help the less privileged, but we can all do something.

Here are 10 ways to practically help the poor:

1. Budget charitable giving: This means give routinely, just like any other commitment. Don’t give out of what’s leftover; give as a matter of course.

2. Stay out of financial trouble yourself: This helps two ways: A) you have more to give B) you’re not competing for resources.

3. Add “The Poor” as another family member: Buying clothes? Don’t forget your other family member… Picking up groceries? Include non-perishables for the food bank… Shopping for Christmas? Don’t forget some gifts for the shelter…

4. Get involved with a local charity: Be part of the decision-making process; get your hands dirty; help raise money and allocate resources. Really get to know what’s going on in your community. Be a participant rather than a spectator who simply reacts later.

5. Tutor, or mentor a child: This may sound off-topic, but not if we understand the direct link between education and opportunity. Poverty that becomes systemic and generational can be hugely impacted via education. There’s a lot we can do.

6. Rethink your relationship to material things: Ask yourself this question: “Are the resources at my disposal a possession or a trust?” Once that question has been addressed there’s a lot less pressure to keep up with the Jones family next door, and a lot more freedom to act with generosity.

7. Support local businesses: The majority of new jobs are created through small, locally-owned businesses. A flourishing small-business climate means a stronger local economy. Local economic activity impacts poverty more than centralized corporations operating out of another state or from a continent far away.

8. Expand your social circle out of your comfort zone: Awareness is key to social action. Try to cultivate friendships beyond “people who look, and act, and sound, and earn – just like me.”

9. Travel with a mission or intervention team: There is no end to the possibilities of helping others. There is plenty of local mission work to be done in your town on “the wrong side of the tracks.” And there are folks all over the world who need your help. Pray and then do some research on which organization to go with that best matches your gifting. And if your children are old enough, take them along and let them see “real life.”

10. Don’t lose sight of responsibility when offering help: Advocate for the poor, but also do what you can to help nurture the ownership of responsibility and the cultivation of self-help. When dignity is sacrificed on the altar of entitlement, nobody wins – especially the poor. Meanwhile, let’s do what we can.