Dialogue on "The Tragedy of American Compassion" PART 3

This is an exerpt from 1844 Mcguffey's Reader ( a text book for school children) It is a pretend dialogue between Mr. Fantom and Mr. Goodman.

Mr. Fantom: I despise a narrow field. O for the reign of universal benevelonce! I want to make all mankind good and happy.

Mr. Goodman: Dear me! Sure that must be a wholesale sort of a job: had you note better try your hand at a town or neighborhood first?

Mr. Fantom: Sir, I have a plant in my head for relieving the miseries of the whole world....

Mr. Goodman: The utmost extent of my ambition at present is, to redress the wrongs of a poor apprentice, who has been cruelly used by his master....

Mr. Fantom: You must not apply to me for the redress of such petty greivances...It is provinces, empires, continents, that the beneveolence of the philosopher embraces; every one can do a little paltry good to his neighbor.

Mr. Goodman: Every one CAN but I do not see that everyone DOES...You have such a noble zeal for the millions, yet feel so little compassion for the units.

In the context of the book "the trajedy of american compassion" this primary document is used to help argue against large scale governmental welfare, but for me I find it hiting upon a much more important cord.

Everyone can do something but not everyone does.  How true is this?  We hear statements like "I'm just doing my part" or "If everyone would just do their part this world would be...."

The author above was write about this being the work of philosophers...it most often remains in the realm of thought and not action.  I include myself in this category (a philosophy minor in college).  The grandioseness of direction, plan, vision can so often overide the action toward and for the one. 

And here is a easy temptation the evil one has for those of us so passionate about God's compassion and justice.   The temptation is that we have to get bigger and better...more people because the need is so great.  But often times we miss the one that God has for us to reach out to...the one "He has prepared in advance for us." 

I'm not saying it is wrong to grow a ministry or become more efficient...but is it done at the loss of being Spirit led or at the cost of the one who just needs some attention.

So in many ways large governmental programs are not the answer because poverty assistance in and of itself devalues the object of the welfare by the simple fact that the object is not a person with a name but rather a file number with a need.

Is there another way...other than big government and cold welfare offices?  We all CAN do something but will we choose to DO something?