4. The Lord's Way of Caring for the Poor

A pastoral message written on Friday, October 31, 1975, and published in Heaven-11, the BYU 11th Branch newsletter on Monday, November 3.

We hear much these days about the world's faltering attempts to care for the poor in our society. "The great welfare debacle in this and other countries is only now coming to light," said Elder Hartmon Rector Jr. in the recent general conference. "For instance, New York City is currently facing a tremendous financial crisis, [where] fully 22 percent of this city's total budget goes for public welfare. This is more than is spent on police protection, health or hospitals, or education. More than a million New Yorkers are now receiving welfare payments, and the number is rising daily.

"The food stamp program which was initially designed to assist the poor . . . is totally out of hand, a monster that threatens us all. Over $6.6 billion will be spent for this program in fiscal year 1976. That represents over one-half of the total U.S. Department of Agricultural budget. Over 19 million people—almost one American out of eleven—are now getting food stamps.

"Welfare lists grow daily, and we now face the startling fact that we have third and fourth generations growing up on welfare. They have known nothing else. These people even strike and picket to get more sooner. Candidates for public office seem to be trying to out-promise each other in giveaway programs" (Ensign, Nov. 1975, 10-11).

There is a better way. The Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants has told us: "I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.

"And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.

"But it must needs be done in mine own way; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low.

"For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare" (D&C 104:14-17).

And then to us who have been blessed with this abundance He mentions, the Lord gives this significant warning: "Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of the gospel, unto the poor and needy, he shall with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment" (D&C 104:18).

Those are strong words. And the question immediately comes to mind: What is the Lord's way? How are we to impart our portion, according to the law of the gospel, unto the poor and needy?The answer is a simple one: by paying our fast offerings.

A minimal fast offering (and let us emphasize the word minimal) is defined as the cost of the meals you don't eat while you are fasting. If we fully understand the law of the fast, then we know that our fasting is incomplete until we have given a generous offering to the bishop, who uses these sacred funds to care for the poor, the needy, and the destitute.

There is no system of charity that is more selfless or more pure or more effective. In the first place, when we give to the poor by paying fast offerings, the gift is entirely anonymous. No one ever knows who paid the money. Of this kind of giving the Savior said: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

"Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

"That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:1-4).

Second, the system is so much more effective than any other charity on earth. Some well-known charities in this country reportedly have an overhead as big as sixty percent or more. That means that sixty percent of the money we might give them does not go directly to the purpose for which it is given. Even some of the best charities have a twenty-five percent overhead. When we pay fast offerings, we can be confident that every single penny, without exception, goes to benefit the poor. There is no overhead.

Third, we do not need to worry about our fast offering contribution going to the unworthy poor, to someone who doesn't really need it. We do not need to worry about fostering a welfare dole. We do not need to worry about abuses or excesses. The bishop, as the common judge in Israel, gives aid to the poor only after careful, prayerful consideration. He gives the aid in such a way that it helps the person to help himself.

President Spencer W. Kimball has said: "I think that when we are affluent as many of us are that we ought to be very, very generous. . . . I think we should be very generous and give, instead of the amount we saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps much, much more—ten times more where we are in a position to do it. I know there are some who couldn't" (General welfare services meeting, Apr. 6, 1974, 12).

Listen to this promise President Marion G. Romney, of the First Presidency, makes: "If we will double our fast offerings, we shall increase our own prosperity, both spiritually and temporally. This the Lord has promised, and this has been the record" (Talk to the priesthood board, Mar. 6, 1974, 10).