Truemag

  • Home
  • About
  • Grief
  • My Book
  • Events
  • Ministry
  • Contact

Stop Judging People On Welfare

100921175-AP652425720126r.530x298

What is welfare?

Government-provided support for those unable to support themselves. In the United States, it is undertaken by various federal, state, and local agencies under the auspices of different programs, the best known of which are Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and food stamps.

The sort of things I hear people say about welfare recipients:

  • They want something for nothing.
  • They should get a job.
  • They get welfare so they can afford drugs.
  • If they would quit having so many kids they wouldn’t need welfare.
  • They know how to work the system.

 

But what if the people who were receiving government assistance (i.e. welfare) aren’t really asking for a hand out? What if they have a job they work hard at? What if they have never been an addict a day in their lives? What if they believed that babies were a blessing from God? What if they wished they didn’t need welfare, but they just don’t have the money to take care of rising health care cost, housing and energy bills?

What if this were the face of welfare?

4

Yes, this is my family six years ago. I don’t think we have dressed up for a picture since then.

Then what would you say?

This is a much more typical looking welfare family. Many of us have given up lucrative secular jobs to devote our lives to ministry, non-profits and even the military.

We aren’t lazy. In fact we work tireless hours in situations that most people avoid. We go into the secret places of our community to bring light, give support and to defend and protect forgotten people.

We work side jobs. We have yard sales to pay bills. We even pay taxes.

We dress our children in thrift store clothes. We clip coupons, chase sales and sometimes just go without. We do it so that we can keep serving and ministering. We do it so we can keep standing watch over our churches, neighborhoods, cities and nation.

We do it for you.

So the next time you judge nameless people on welfare, give it face. Give it my face.

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Prov. 19:17

Aug 19, 2015Serena
Tweet2
Share184
Pin
186 Shares
How Not To Teach Your Girls About PurityWhy Teens Apologetic Study Bible
Comments: 3
  1. Debbie Benderman McCord
    7 years ago

    I know many, many, many on welfare…What you describe above is not the typical family on welfare. I do know others who are busting their fannies to get off of it. But, I know many more who are not concerned with work much less getting off of it. It is attitude that differentiates. It is what it is as people say. Either way, souls are precious to God, and that is what we need to be thinking about.

    ReplyCancel
    • Serena
      7 years ago

      Precious souls! Amen!!

      ReplyCancel
  2. Alisha
    7 years ago

    Thanks for this reminder and thanks for all the serving you and Dan do! It is a shining example for me and so many.

    ReplyCancel

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Serena
7 years ago 3 Comments Christ-followers & Culture, Serving Others, Uncategorizedpoor, poverty, prejudice, welfare1,501
A Wordy Woman
Top Posts & Pages
  • Husbands Submit
  • Doing Church When The World is Upside Down
  • Can Christians Follow Marxism?
  • Is Submission a 4-Letter Word?
  • The Christian, Abortion and Voting
Recent Posts
  • Husbands Submit
  • Doing Church When The World is Upside Down
  • Can Christians Follow Marxism?
  • Is Submission a 4-Letter Word?
  • The Christian, Abortion and Voting
Categories
Sign up for A Wordy Woman
* = required field

powered by MailChimp!
Networks
2015 © A Wordy Woman