Charity begins at home – but it doesn’t have to stay here!

The Defence Secretary Liam Fox recently wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to scrap the Conservative manifesto commitment, and the coalition agreement, to set in law a promise to spend 0.7% of the UK’s gross national product on overseas aid. It was ironic that Dr Fox’s comments came during Christian Aid week.

Apparently by 2013 (when the 0.7% aid budget would come into place) 0.7% of Gross National Product would equate to £11.4 billion pounds. Last year the British tax payer gave £7.5 billion worth of overseas aid.

Dr Fox clearly feels that the money should be spent in the UK. After all £11.4 billion would pay for about 25% of the new Trident nuclear deterrent.

Jesus was once asked by a lawyer what he had to do to inherit eternal life. When questioned by Jesus the lawyer said that Jewish law stated “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”

The lawyer then asked Jesus who he should regard as his neighbour. Under Jewish law “neighbours” were other Jews. However, Jesus went on to tell the lawyer the Parable of the Good Samaritan in which a sworn enemy of Jews – the Samaritan – was shown as caring for a Jewish victim of assault.

Jesus’ teaching shows that we are to think of all people as our neighbours no matter where they live. We are to have a wider perspective. To be concerned with all people everywhere.

We’re facing some tough economic times and savings need to be made. But I feel that it is important that we, as one of the richest countries in the world, show an example and provide aid to those many countries that are in need.

The prayer I’m about to use comes from this year’s Christian Aid worship pack.

God, who is more than we can ever imagine,

give us a bigger picture of the world;

give us a broader view of justice;

give us dreams of love

that are not defined by boundaries of geography or race or religion,

or by the limitations of worldly structures and systems.

Enlarge our imaginations and inspire our courage this Christian Aid Week

And all weeks, to put ourselves in that bigger picture.

Keep us struggling,

keep us faithful,

keep us strong,

so that we never give up on the promise of your kingdom,

where the world is transformed,

and all can enjoy life in all its fullness.

In Jesus name we ask it. Amen.