One of my favorite parables in the Bible is the story that Jesus shares about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.
It begins with a scholar asking Jesus what he needed to do on earth to experience eternal life in heaven.
The answer was simple.
The scholar needed to follow the two most important commandments in the Bible:
— Love the Lord with all your heart, strength, mind, and soul.
— Love your neighbor as yourself.
But the scholar wanted to know who was included in the command to “love thy neighbor,” so Jesus shared this story.
You can be the hands and feet of Jesus by helping someone in need
A Jewish man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked and left for dead on the side of the road. Two religious leaders passed him by without stopping to help.
But then a Samaritan — whose people have had a centuries-long conflict with the Jews — came along. Instead of walking past, he immediately stopped, treated the man’s wounds, and took him to an inn to recover.
This parable is a powerful reminder that when God commands us to love our neighbor, He doesn’t just mean the people who live close to us. We’re called to love everyone — the foreigner, the stranger, and all those in need.
One way you can fulfill this commandment today is by giving to provide people in need around the world with supplies they need like food, clean water, God’s Word, and more. Helping people in need demonstrates the love of God. And as the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us, our calling as followers of Christ reaches across every cultural and geographical boundary.
Keep reading to learn more about why international aid should matter to Christians:
Why Is International Aid Important?
All people deserve to have access to basic necessities!
Foreign aid is an investment that benefits everyone.
For example, providing healthcare to people in an impoverished nation can prevent an outbreak of deadly disease. Investing in a country’s market can strengthen the global economy, and so much more.
When we prioritize foreign aid, we’re helping to create a world with fewer conflicts and increased global stability. Reducing poverty through aid is proven to reduce crime and armed conflict, and can even help prevent the creation of extremist groups.
In addition to making the world a better, safer place, international aid also helps strengthen our relationships with people all over the world. These relationships, built on compassion and trust, often open the door for the Gospel to be shared. International aid is a critical component of making disciples of all nations, as well as loving our neighbors.
What Does the Bible Say About Providing International Aid?
Providing lifesaving aid worldwide demonstrates God’s love to people living in poverty
Multiple verses in the Bible teach us about the importance of caring for one another. One of my favorite passages is John 3:16-18, which says:
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
As I mentioned earlier, the parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that we’re commanded to love God and to love our neighbors. Here, John teaches us that if we have no empathy for people in need, God’s love is not inside us.
There are no conditions attached to these commands; they don’t say to care only for others who are like us or live in the same country. They don’t say we should only care about people in certain situations. They encompass all of humanity.
And when we put action behind empathy, we are driven to help by giving, volunteering, donating supplies, or doing something else that makes a difference and shows God’s love.
As Christians, we have a clear call to help people around the world who are suffering from disaster or living in poverty.
What Impact Does International Aid Have?
By giving someone help and hope, you’ll make an eternal impact in their life
By providing emergency supplies to people around the world, you can be a lifeline for someone in need. When you give, your donations might even be the difference between life and death.
But each time you give to provide someone with essentials like food, clean water, medicine, and more, you do so much more than just meet a physical need.
You demonstrate a Christ-like love, giving someone the help they need today and hope for an eternal future in heaven. You follow the example of the Good Samaritan, reaching across borders to show love and compassion to your neighbor.
Are you ready to transform someone’s life today?
For just $12, you can provide a brother or sister in Christ with the supplies they need to survive.
Click the button below to get started.