There are other stories from the new testament, for example The Story of the Sheep and the Goats. This tells the story of Jesus separating the good people from the bad, as he does the sheep and goats. He puts the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. He says to those on his right; ‘Come, you are blessed by my father…’
To those on his left he said; ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…’ In this parable, Jesus was saying that a Christian will be judged on how they have treated those less fortunate than themselves. He said that if people have helped the poor, it is as though they have helped Jesus himself, and they will go to heaven. An important quote from the New Testament is this; ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’
Part of the Christian teaching is that we all have something to offer others and the world around us. Helping those less fortunate than us is a major theme in the Bible. This is a very important quote to the topic; ‘He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.’ (NAS, Proverbs 28:27). It means that a life without generosity is a miserable life, and leaves nothing but an empty craving for more possessions and power. Although Christians believe that giving to the poor is an important part of Christian life, it is not necessary to become a full-time volunteer. Christians believe that being generous is not just about how much we donate to those less fortunate, but that it also teaches kindness and awareness of other areas of the human condition, and that we should give generously whatever wealth and abilities we can spare. Christians believe, most importantly, that our good deeds should not be motivated by public recognition, but by sincerity towards the cause, because not only is it important to give to the poor, but also to be educated about their situations. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men...” (NIV, Matthew 6:1-2)
Most importantly, the Bible states that we all have something to give, be it wealth, talent or time. Whatever gifts we have been given, we should share them generously with the world around us, and those less fortunate to have not been given them. This bible quote explains when we make the world a better place, we enrich our own lives with knowledge and kindness, and find true satisfaction for ourselves; “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”Proverbs 11:25. As told in The Good Samaritan, it is important that we do not judge others by things such as race, gender, skin colour or beliefs, but rather we consider everyone to be a child of God, and give generously to those who truly need it, as we all experience a time of need. “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” is an important quote that states that we should treat others as we would like to be treated, which means donating the gifts we were given to helping improve the lives of others.
