How to Practice Christian Charity
Everyone has heard the expression "practice what you preach." This saying probably applies most strongly to Christians whose faith teaches love, forgiveness and grace. If you are a Christian, you're called to live a life like Christ and that begins by serving others. If you're looking for ways to accomplish this, there are several areas where you can practice Christian charity.
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Instructions
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Cook a little extra when preparing meals. Check with your church administrator or your pastor for a list of people who are sick, confined to home, grieving or experiencing medical problems with family members and you have someone to cook for. When you're planning dinners, double the recipe, call your fellow congregant in need and deliver a meal.
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Take charge of some extra shopping duties. When you're calling these people to bring them meals, ask them if they're in need of groceries or other supplies. People appreciate not having to worry about getting these items during difficult times.
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Support local food drives and your church's food pantry. There are so many canned goods sales at grocery stores that it would be very easy to buy a few extra during each of your shopping trips. This way, you'll already have them when there's an organized food drive or when the shelves of your church's food pantry get low.
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Practice Christian hospitality. If you enjoy having friends, congregants or neighbors over for a quick pick-up meal, a Sunday afternoon lunch or a holiday party, think about someone you've never invited before. It may be someone you'd never thought of socializing with in the past or someone who doesn't get asked to join frequently. Everyone loves to feel included.
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Volunteer your time during the holidays. You may think that you don't have an extra minute to spare with shopping, visiting, decorating, cooking and baking, but this is the time when people will need you the most. The holidays are particularly hard for the elderly, people who are alone, the homeless and the grieving. So, offer your time and services to make the holidays happy for people who might otherwise be depressed.
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Provide a means of transportation. There are many people in need of rides to various appointments and if you have some extra time and a car, you can volunteer a ride. Better yet, set up a network of friends and neighbors who might also be available to help those in need.
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Offer to babysit. Often, when someone is going through a serious illness or caring for someone with a serious illness, children need a safe place to stay. Also, the person in need may just need a break and some well-deserved rest.
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Tips & Warnings
Practicing Christian charity is made easier if you start any activity with prayer.
Put yourself in their place, and apply the Golden Rule. For example, if you can give up a morning, someone who has been spending most of her time caring for a sick relative would probably appreciate a thorough house cleaning.
Christians can organize a prayer chain by telephone or email or even a card chain to bring cheer and show others how Christian charity is practiced every day.
