Open Your Hand Wide

American Poverty, Welfare, and the Power of Christian Compassion

By: W.J. Daubney

The United States – viewed by the world as the land of plenty, yet every day many American families suffer from poverty. How can this be? How does it affect those in its grip? And, what is the responsibility of the believer in this area of need?

In Open Your Hand Wide W.J. Daubney addresses the spiritual roots of poverty explaining why money and programs will never resolve the issue. Sharing stories from those who live in it each day, Daubney explains why those who are chronically poor can't just “get a job” to solve their problems, how government has supplanted the church as the major caregiver for the poor, and what the average Christian can do to become engaged in caring for these families today.

Daubney, the Executive Director of Hope Initiatives in Rochester, New York, addresses poverty issues that he sees each day. Open Your Hand Wide reflects his own passion and desire for others to understand more about the issue in this compelling message. Providing fresh approaches to ministering to the impoverished, it gives you a sense of urgency to do something that will help others!

The book breaks down the six premises of poverty:

-Poverty at its deepest root is a spiritual problem

-Money and programs will never adequately address it

-God does not create poverty but allows it to see our hearts toward the needy

-Poverty will always be a part of our landscape according to Scriptures

-Governments will no longer have the political will or the financial ability to sustain the current social safety net

-The non-believer cannot understand that truths since the darkness cannot comprehend light

By understanding these premises and allowing God soften and change your heart, you can open your hand wide toward your neighbors in need.