Those Who Cannot Repay

Today, in Dakar in Transition class, we had what I would consider our best class yet. We watch a documentary on youth unemployment in Senegal, and it sparked a lot of conversation and opened our eyes to differences in cultural values once more. Then we watched another video on street children - not the talibes, who are receiving religious education from the corranique schools - but children who have left their families for some reason or another. The boys said they once saw a woman throwing away her leftover food and they asked her for it. She said no, that she wouldn't give it to them, and threw it in the dustbin.

You should know that one of the five pillars of Islam is giving to the poor, which is why I was confused as to why she wouldn't share with them. Our prof explained that many people will only give to the talibes in exchange for prayers and a special blessing from them. They expect that the prayers will increase their favor, and that's why they give. While I don't think this is the attitude of all Muslims - that they give only to receive - it was troubling for me.

But when you give a feast,invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Luke 14:13-14

I thought of this passage immediately, and the number of discussions I've had, sermons I've heard, and books I've read, about the difficulties of accepting this teaching. Do you give in order to receive something in return? It does say that we will be repaid later on, but not by those to whom we give. Because we have blessed those who have no means, only then are we ourselves blessed. It's along the same line as the doctrine of forgiveness - it's easy to forgive your friends, but will you forgive your enemies?

I left class still a bit confused and surprised by what our prof had said, and found it difficult to believe that those whose religion depends on submission to God are still so self-seeking. Hmmmm thoughts thoughts thoughts.