First person: We really do care but we don’t always know how to help

The comments by Al Mohler in this article have been playing over and over in my mind.

“There’s a huge guilt on the SBC for translating the gospel into white bread, middle class Protestantism,” Mohler stated in 2009 in reference to how Southern Baptists think about ministering to those who need government assistance.

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“We would insinuate if you love Jesus you will dress like us, live like us, make these decisions. … We expect of our children a middle class identity more often than we expect a gospel identity,” he said. “Our priorities are just all wrong. If our priorities were right, then we wouldn’t have to say, ‘Let’s go minister to the poor.’ We would find ourselves doing that.

“I’m as guilty as anyone … here with my fountain pen and Apple computer,” Mohler said. “We are so socially stratified (but) gospel churches find people for Jesus.”

Proper response

His comments reminded me of a conversation a friend and I had a few years ago about how children in difficult family situations exist all around us, and yet so many of us look past them every day.

We really do care, but we don’t always know how to act — what’s appropriate, what’s manageable, where to start, etc.

And while many incredible ministries and help organizations assist in a variety of ways, some areas are still overlooked or underrepresented.

For instance, children who are not taught proper hygiene and have no one assisting them in that area need guidance.

We can’t expect elementary and middle school-aged students to know what to do without someone teaching them. And even then, they need access to hygienic resources.

What are ways churches and other ministry groups could partner with schools to make a difference in this area without embarrassing the children in need?

I remember how sad I felt for the kids in my classes through the years who weren’t clean. They were picked on and pretty much isolated to themselves.

My heart hurt for them, and I always wanted to help, but I didn’t know how. And while I decided to be kind to them when others weren’t, I still didn’t actually give them a way out of their situation.

Along with teaching children and families in this situation about cleanliness and providing access to soap and water, we also could help them maintain a closet of clean clothes.

Think about the difference in a child’s confidence who shows up at school in freshly washed and dried clothes that fit correctly and blend in with modern styles versus a child forced to wear the same soured hand-me-down outfits day after day.

It’s not so much about keeping up with the latest fashions but caring for a child’s hygiene and comfort in general, which also leads to better physical health as well as stronger emotional health and emotional intelligence.

And with less stress taking place emotionally, the child will have more room mentally to learn and develop, which also spills over into other areas of life. Even his or her sleep will likely be better with freshly laundered sheets.

Who knows the difference clean clothes might make in the long run for that child already enduring daily ridicule at age 6 or 7.

We’ve all seen how one or two simple opportunities can truly change the course of a person’s life, and when those who are reaching out are people of faith, a watching world gets the added bonus of seeing a glimpse of Jesus.

Knowing how to help

I can’t wait to see how God works and am praying for Him to show me exactly how to help while also drawing others to similar opportunities.

As far as clean clothes go, helping might be through our disaster relief laundry units and volunteers, or maybe a young career person partnering with a retiree to serve a family by washing their clothes.

The result could also be affordable neighborhood laundromats set up and managed by churches in low-income communities. The facility could also offer ministry-based services such as after-school tutoring, job skills training, creative classes, Bible studies and disciple-making sessions — all scheduled within the time frame of washing and drying a load of laundry.