Christians Belief of Compassion in Socioeconomic Issues - Essay Example

Christians’ Belief of Compassion in Socioeconomic Issues Background of Issue This paper focuses on socioeconomic issues as the current issues related to religious beliefs and identifies how the belief Christians hold of Jesus would be employed to confront them. The modern world faces various socioeconomic issues that include unemployment, discrimination, poverty and social morality conflict. These refer to issues and factors that negatively influence the economic activities of individuals and social integration. The US and indeed the whole world currently experiences high unemployment rates due to increased population and unavailability of job opportunities. This causes humans to inadequately meet their basic needs and consequently leads to poverty. Poverty refers to a condition in which basic human needs including food, clothing and shelter fail to be met. A majority of countries would have poverty being exhibited through low life expectancy, poor nutrition and high infant mortality among other factors. Poverty results from unavailability of resources and humans being unable to achieve economic development. Socially, discriminating other people based on their culture, race, gender or inabilities has also been a major socioeconomic issue. Racism and sexism would be observed in a majority of the countries particularly due to the increased globalization. This causes the minority groups to be disadvantaged and miss on the opportunities presented to the majority. Globalization has further caused a shift in social morality with major morality conflicts resulting due to abortion, prostitution and drug abuse among others. But the belief that Christians have on Jesus plays a critical role in confronting these socioeconomic problems. Christians’ Belief on Jesus Christians believe Jesus as being full of compassion towards all humankind due to His caring nature. The reason people go to church and follow Christian principles has been noted to be majorly finding care and compassion, a position that has seen Christians considered as caring and compassionate people. Jesus shows compassion to the Church with the ultimate indication of His compassion being the sacrifice of shedding His blood for the cleansing of the Church. In spite of a few times when Jesus got angry like the day He turned tables over in the temple, He largely showed compassion to all humans without regard to their situations or nature. As such, Christians being His followers have the obligation to lead a life of compassion to the society at large. How Christians’ Belief about Jesus Helps Confront Socioeconomic Problems Compassion cares for the temporal needs of people. The story of Jesus feeding a multitude with just a few fish and loaves of bread indicates the need for compassion as a way to support people in need. The problem that the people had then was lack of food. As such, Jesus found a temporal solution to the temporal need and He fed them using the fish and bread from the young shepherd boy. In the same manner, a majority of the reasons causing socioeconomic issues in the society could be attributed to humans’ temporal needs. Lack of human basic needs drive people engaging in socially immoral acts such as prostitution. Additionally, drug abuse could be a direct result of unemployment and idleness. If Christians adopt a compassionate attitude as was with Jesus, such persons would have people share with them food and clothing and probably even shelter. Christians would take it upon themselves to ensure that such persons secure employment so that they earn a decent living just like other average human beings. Therefore, compassion from Christians would have the needy have their temporal needs catered for. Compassion cares for the oppressed. It has been appreciated that discrimination plays a significant role in propagating socioeconomic problems in the society. Notably, racism, sexism, class discrimination and nepotism have been said to cause the occurrence of several crimes in the society. But with compassion, Christians would accommodate the minority groups in the society causing them to feel appreciated as members of the community. By visiting the disabled, fellowshipping with people from different races and incorporating both genders in church activities, Christians appreciate their fellow human beings just as they are. This appreciation promotes oneness that Jesus so desires. He showed compassion to the minority groups when He was on earth including the children whom He allowed to see Him and showing compassion to the boy whose father was demon possessed. This appreciation of each other creates a bond among humans hence deterring social injustices which propagate socioeconomic problems. Finally, compassion would cause people to forgive those who offend them. In the Lord’s Prayer, forgiveness is required of all Christians just as God forgives them of their wrongdoing. In the Bible, there are many stories that show how compassion caused Jesus to forgive those who had wronged him, including those who crucified Him. Jesus instilled a forgiving heart among people when He was on earth through various real life happenings. For example, when the people wanted to stone to death a woman claimed to be a prostitute, Jesus asked people not to as they had all sinned and not worthy of judging the woman by casting the first stone. He then forgave the woman of her sins and asked her not to sin anymore. Forgiveness enables people not to carry a heavy heart with them that would cause them to want to revenge against every wrong committed against them. Even when people discriminate against the minority, such groups would not desire to revenge against the perpetrators because of their belief in Jesus. Leaders who compromise economies of nations would not be victimized but forgiven and prayed for, together with praying for good leaders ordained by God. Forgiveness because of compassion accommodates every human being and promotes unity which prevents socioeconomic problems. Conclusion In summary, in the wake of various socioeconomic issues in the world, Christians have a greater role to play through their belief in Jesus. The belief in Jesus as one who desires every Christian to show compassion would cause Christians to confront socioeconomic problems like poverty, unemployment, discrimination and social immorality. Compassion would cause them to care for the temporal needs of their fellow human beings, care for the oppressed and forgive those who wrong them. These acts would cause unity among different people which is needed to fight socioeconomic problems. Read More