Its a notion that has permeated Christian culture, the idea that God helps those who help themselves. But its not true. That axiom was created by the same people who feel a right to judge every situation. I see it everyday on Facebook, judging people using government assistance, or the handicapped parking spot, or taking advantage of free offers and food for the poor. This judgement is heartbreaking. It sat wrong with me as a middle class American, now it gnaws at me as an impoverished one.
I want to ask for help. I type the status on Facebook--that internet collection of friends and family who supposedly have an interest in me and my family's well being. I can't bring myself to hit post. I can't bring myself to beg. Not when I see that my family and friends demand the degradation of people who are already begging for help from a reluctant government. Not when they howl for drug testing the poor, or complain about the diets of the poor, or decide who is worthy and who is not so for the limited government assistance available. How can I ask for someone to help me by sending their cast-offs for my children to wear? How can I ask to tag-a-long on a Costco trip in hopes of buying cheaper dog food? How can I even acknowledge that I can't get health insurance in the state of Idaho because I'm too poor for the federal government to help and yet not poor enough for our state to begrudgingly help us?
By the way, its not in the Bible. If God only helped those who helped themselves we have no need for grace.
