Zone1 Becoming Rich and Giving it Away vs. Doing Works that Don't Involve Money: Which way is best?

[Woodznutz]

Ladies and gentlemen, I am trying to resolve this dilemma in my mind, and I need the advice of you good people in this forum:

Which is the best and most Christ-like way to help others?

1) Earn lots of money in life, and then use to to better people's lives through charitable donations.
or
2) Personally interact with people to help them without significant monetary involvement.

To me, #1 sounds the most logical, since you solve a lot of problems for a lot of people. But it is really God's way? Can you get to Heaven with involvement of money? True, some saints like Elizabeth Seton had great family wealth, but gave it away. However, both parents of St. Therese Lisieux are canonized saints who were prosperous in the silk linens business. They were generous with their money, but by no means super wealthy. You also have people like Melinda Gates who gives away a lot of her large fortune in the name of her "Catholic faith", but to immoral causes like promoting abortion and birth control in developing countries. In her case, has vast wealth twisted and distorted her values?

The second way describes most canonized saints. Lived in poverty, but did great things for others through personal interaction. I don't think there are any hand-off saints. All got their hands dirty, working directly with the poor or establishing religious orders, or educating kids. Is this the difference? Rich people may give money, but are not inclined to physically help out? Jesus lived according to #2. Should we all live that way, or are there other ways to help, according to our talents?

And then there is the third question of trying to raise a lot of money for charity which I am currently trying to do. Does this fall into category #1 where once again a lot of money is involved? Does this effort of raising money preclude the necessary "getting your hands dirty" to interact with those you are raising money for? Would it be more godly to get away from the money angle altogether? Do big piles of money lead to ungodly things regardless of why you're making it or raising it?

Who has an opinion on this?

Show me any person who does any of the above for others and I'll point out how he or she is probably failing to properly care for themselves. Helping others is a zero-sum game if the whole of society isn't being raised up.

Update. We're getting worse, not better.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Thanks for your input. I will say the charity I am helping is very worthwhile and purely voluntary. I know where every penny goes. But even so, is raising money the way to go? Jesus didn't do that. Jesus was not a fundraiser.

Follow Jesus and the apostles. The first century church didnt focus on material wealth and giving to the poor. They were concerned with saving SOULS, not spreading the wealth