A remarkably powerful antidote to this season's consumerism
Fox News
Giving Tuesday stands as a beacon of hope in a season when the material world seems to reign supreme.
Matthew Barnett is co-founder of the Los Angeles Dream Center and senior pastor of Angelus Temple. The Los Angeles Dream Center is a faith-based non-profit dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals and families in Los Angeles through residential and outreach programs.
Generosity, a core tenet of most religious traditions, is not a mere suggestion but a divine commandment. For Christians, Scripture unequivocally teaches that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). In Islam, the concept of "zakat" even requires Muslims to give a portion of their wealth to those less fortunate. Similarly, Judaism places a strong emphasis on "tzedakah," the obligation to give to those in need, with the belief that acts of charity are acts of justice.
This time of year typically evokes memories of time surrounded by family, which often includes being surrounded by love and warm food, too. While our team at the Los Angeles Dream Center is busy pretty much every day of the year, cooking up warm meals for our residents, many of these residents don’t have those wonderful memories of a full table surrounded by loved ones on the holidays.