The source that I have chosen for phase seven is Tom Davis’ book Fields of the Fatherless: Discover the Joy of Compassionate Living. In particular, focusing on chapter two, The Fatherless, pages 45-65.
The reasons for this source’s credibility are:
- He cites sources that help support the claim, message and encouragements in this book and chapter
- Tom Davis as an author, specifically on the subject of the reaching out to the fatherless, is credible because of his experience with helping and ministering to orphans. He is also the CEO of Children’s Hope Chest organization.
- This is a credible organization that seeks to help and equip the fatherless in countries such as Uganda, Russia, Swaziland, Ethiopia, South Africa, and India.
- The book was published in 2008, allowing for a recent look at the needs of the fatherless and the poor and needy.
- The information in this book and chapter are useful for this specific area and directly relates to and answers the questions of what our responsibility is.
- Although this chapter and book is mostly one-sided, urging others to act on behalf of the fatherless, he takes into account and addresses reservations, personal comforts, and fears that many face on this issue, encouraging his readers biblically to get involved.
This source is useful for the research and helpful for my audience because it focuses specifically on our responsibility to the poor and needy. Much of the focus in this source concerning what we as believers are to do is supported by biblical truths, and is applicable as we seek to know what our duty as the body of Christ is concerning the poor, needy, and fatherless.
Summary:
In pages 45-65 in Tom Davis’ book Fields of the Fatherless, he uses specific examples and truths from the Word of God to urge his readers to recognize the responsibility they have over the poor and needy. He encourages his audience to come alongside and give hope to the hopeless.
Davis begins this chapter by pointing out scriptural truths that will initially draw his readers to responsibility to care for the fatherless. As he continues to introduce this chapter, he invites his audience to “meet the fatherless”, and what that may look like specifically in our “neighborhood”.
He then addresses his readers, sensing the possible animosity toward the issue of giving money by stating that “It’s more than money” (49) In this section he explains that there are “social, emotional, and spiritual needs” that we can fill by investing our time and talents. (50)
As he continues, he invites us to look to the example of Christ-like care and love in the picture of Boaz and Ruth. He uses this image to point out practical ways of showing care. He focuses his readers’ attention on specific examples in respecting, providing for, affirming, protecting, honoring them, and offering the gift of Jesus to them.(53) Within each act, it draws the fatherless to clearly and personally see the love of Jesus.
And as Davis discusses the “Justice Due” to the poor and needy, he suggests to his audience that lovingly caring for them is not optional-- rather is preordained. He shared that doing otherwise, or nothing, would be depriving them of justice, and thus causing the fruit of our faith and love to be challenged.(54-56)
Personal stories of lives changed and effected by the love of God shown in others are used to support his urge to his audience to invest in others outside of comfort zones.(56-62)
In concluding this chapter, he relates the investment and act of compassion we should show to the needy directly to our gratitude. Having our actions rooted in remembering what life was like apart from Christ, he urges, should cause us to act in compassion on behalf of their needs.(62-63)
In summary, Davis uses truths from scripture and personal examples to urge his audience to act in compassion, showing the redeeming and welcoming love of Jesus Christ. He shares with his readers that this not merely something that is important, but is something that, to the believer, is a responsibility.
Response:
In response to this chapter, I have been reminded and impressed that this action is not merely optional, but is my responsibility as a believer to put myself aside to show compassion to the poor and needy for the purpose that the love of Christ to be shown and made known to them.
Davis introduced his audience to those in our personal “world” and many others, that he has classified as “the fatherless”. (48-49) I agree with the portrait he’s painting to remind us of the many around us who are in need of hope and Christ-like love, but it reminded me again that investing in a life of the many “fatherless” around us is important, and we as believers do not have to wait until we come across an orphan, rather I am to be faithful in ministering in the lives of those who are needy that I come across on a regular basis.
As he shared with his readers that it was more than just giving money, he stated that “According to the Bible, the needs of the poor are to be absorbed into society... The fatherless have social, emotional, and spiritual needs money alone can’t solve.” (50) I was challenged to remember that to care for the needs of the fatherless is my responsibility, and that this implies death to self-centeredness. I have been reminded that God has placed this responsibility on us because this is near to His heart, and it must not be about me, but about others.
He continues and shares in detail the image of Boaz’s intentional care for Ruth (50-53), and I must ask myself where my heart is concerning the poor and needy I come into contact with. Boaz went out of his way to welcome and love, would I do only what is comfortable to me? Would I treat them as equal or will I continue to put myself on a pedestal, even subconsciously, by not investing? Do i give them worth in my interaction with them? Do I remind them of their value? Do I welcome them in, or keep them at a distance because of what is comfortable to me. Many times it’s easier to think about caring for orphans or the fatherless in another country, but I quickly get crippled by fear and self-centeredness when I am faced with opportunities to invest in “my own neighborhood”.
I have also been reminded, as he shared about Job (54), to strive to both fear and love God and this will motivate my interaction with the needy around me.
As he shared personal stories of those who have invested in lives and in turn affected the fatherless lives for eternity (56-62), I was challenged to look at the greater picture than my own comfort zone and realize the privilege of the opportunity to impact their world. I have seen that much in my heart must change and will change if I choose to obey Him.
In concluding his chapter, I have been reminded of my lack of gratitude. “Our gratefulness ought to be a wellspring that pours out the same kind of freedom and joy to others.”(63) Gratitude of the love the Father has shown me must be the driving force to invest in others. I must agree with his claim that our gratefulness of new life in Christ will directly affect our act of compassion toward others, and at times I ought to shudder that my actions might display that which is in my heart.
This kind of love goes much further than simple comfortable things. Rather, our faith and new life in Christ must urge me to act with compassion, selflessly and intentionally on behalf of the poor and needy, the “fatherless” that I will be held accountable for. And I have been reminded that this includes not only orphans in other countries, but those we may interact with regularly.
I'm going to miss reading your blog. The posts have been academically strong, but they've also been infused with passion. I've enjoyed reading your posts -- and finding out that there is someone in the world who marks up books even more aggressively than I do :-)
ReplyDeleteI could say many sophisticated academic things about your summary, but instead, I will say, "Wow!" I'm impressed by the way that you can capture an author's main points in such a concise way. I would have been hard pressed to write the summary myself as well as you wrote it.
And, of course, I appreciated your response in which you made yourself vulnerable and admitted how these ideas challenged you in your own life.