This is the motto of the organization I work for: PATH (People Assisting the Homeless). You can check out our website at www.epath.org. The motto comes out of a belief that homeless people don't just need three hots and a cot (a place to sleep and a meal to eat). Instead, they need to be given a "hand up". In other words, as an organization, we strive to do more than just provide people with emergency services. Instead, we look for ways to give people the tools they need to be self-sufficient. We have what's called the PATHMall, a place where the homeless can access a number of different services, including employment, mental health, substance abuse, and housing placement services, as well as haircuts and showers. The people who walk into the PATHMall have a variety of issues that contribute to their homelessness, and so we try to help them deal with their barriers so that they can get off the streets and into permanent housing, i.e. a hand up, not a hand out.
Although the organization isn't specifically a Christian organization, I'm convinced that this motto reflects kingdom values. In the next few posts, I will be looking at various Scripture passages where we see the kingdom of God coming in a hand up, and not a hand out.
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