Gleaning and the Welfare State
As ministries and church families explore the topic of community ministry– there are three common objections that often surface:
1) Will we compromising the gospel as a part of the requirements to work in the community?
2) How can we avoid making people dependent on us– creating more of the welfare state?
3) Don’t we already pay taxes to take care of those people?
One of the best ways to begin developing a real committment to compassion and service, and to address these objections is to understand the Biblical principle of gleaning. It is found in the book of Leviticus, where we read 23:22 ” ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.’ ” It is not worded as a suggestion.
We can also see this principle lived out in the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Book of Ruth. This is a story that exemplifies the real principle of gleaning both for those who are making room in their field, and for the gleaner.
Some of the important things that we can learn from this Biblical principle:
What is our “field” and “our harvest?” Since most of us aren’t farmers (no, you are not off the hook), we have to see this idea of field and harvest in our own lives. Our field is our “space,” the places in our lives where we have it together and find ourselves effective and productive–it is our relationships, our work, our business, our profession, home and trade. Making room for gleaners happens when we open up a part of “our space” to allow someone to join in.
What is a gleaner? It is not a group restricted by a specific economic category– a gleaner is anyone who is humble and working to get their life together. They are in essence those without their own economic or relationship resource– no job, no business, no life skills, no relationships, no “place to make a life work.” They are looking to connect with a Boaz and glean something from his economic/vocational field. We shouldn’t miss the terms in the Leviticus passage that describes these gleaners– the poor and the alien. Those without and those from outside.
Like Ruth, there are lots of folks who are in distress who have already started down the road of repentance–they have already turned their hearts toward right relationships, hard work and are looking for opportunity. If we look at the example of Ruth, we see someone who had already embraced faithfulness in her relationships and was willing to work really hard for meager pay.
Did Ruth still have some of the look and smell of Moab–that foreign country? Will those who come to us to glean, still act as if they are in poverty or a destructive lifestyle? I think we can expect some of that, but we don’t have to give in to a lifestyle that is “un-ruth-like.” Our standard should be people who are already making a change, already turning toward what is right– two objective standards are commitment to important relationships and willingness to work hard. The other thing that we should expect is continued growth and change, especially in response to positive relationships.
It is our kindness and generosity in making room for gleaners that helps them to make the transition from outsider to family member. If our real heart (as demonstrated by Boaz), is to connect them to the eternal family found through Christ, then our cheerful, intentional and generous invitation to glean will help them come into that family.
Remember that in gleaning, you are inviting someone into your space (professional, business, family, trade, etc.). The only fear that you should have that you will compromise the gospel in this setting, is that you aren’t living it out. There is no outside control here– just a relationship based on kindness and hard work.
Making room for gleaning, is not the job of the government, it is for everyone who has “space” in a profession, a business, healthy family relationships. Being open to gleaners simply means that we make space for them in our lives. Opening this space is a personal responsibility of every Godly person who has places in their life where they are effective and productive.
The people that we are looking to help are not those who are looking for a free meal– they are instead people who have already begun the process of turning their hearts toward God. Gleaning means that we invite them to PARTICIPATE with us, learn from us, work along side our productive employees, participate in business. We are not doing them a favor when we do the gleaning for them– go into the field, harvest the grain, put it in a box and deliver it. We are robbing them of the chance to grow and be transformed.
Gleaning makes a two-fold claim: it requires that we make some space for people who don’t know how to do what we do, and it requires that they work hard, become learners and seekers. It is not a place for victims or disrespect, because our respect for people means that we believe that can work for themselves, and will grow in personal dignity as they work to learn to skills.
Here is the rub– most of the methods that we use for our Church compassion, violate the principles of gleaning– many of our food pantries, clothing giveaways, Christmas outreaches do not invite people into any practical life participation, we have in effect done the gleaning for them. Partially because we don’t know any better, partially because we are emulating the negative part of the welfare state, and partly because we are not sure we really want to have a relationship with them. We should look for compassion programs that offer tangible growth opportunities, require responsible participation and connect people to us personally.
So if we want to apply the principles of gleaning, we should look for the spaces in our life where it is working. Could be our family (look at those doing foster care), could be our business (lots of small business owners take in “learners” in distress), could be our profession where we adopt a young struggling professional, or it could be the young mother next store who just wants to learn how to clean her house. When we do this on purpose, either as individuals or as a church body, we do more than just deliver some grain, we invite people into a new lifestyle of health, productivity and faith.
If you make the space…they will come.