I have sat in church so many times where the topic is on charity. How do we give and hopefully, how do we receive, is discussed. In almost every class I have attended someone uses the phrase:
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This is then often expounded on by class members on why just showing up to give people things or help can actually be hurtful to that person.
I. CALL. FOUL.
This reasoning never sat well with me. Sometimes I have fallen victim to using this mentality, myself, as an excuse to not extend my hand. Though I did believe that when people don’t actively work for things, they could become complacent, this idea that we should use this phrase as an excuse to cop out of helping others just doesn’t seem too Christian.
Teaching Takes More Work
The phrase “teach a man to fish…” is often twisted into the idea that people just need to buck up and do for themselves. Part of ‘teaching’ becomes just telling someone they need to do X, Y, Z and then they will be good.
But, let’s consider what it actually takes to teach another person to fish.
I am no expert on fishing, but there are many steps to teaching another person to be a fisherman. It is a time-intensive process. You have to prepare the tackle and the rods, then explain about how fish are attracted to different bait. The rod has to be discussed on how to put the line on the rod, how to cast, if weights are needed, and on and on. Finally, after the minute mechanics are taught, then casting becomes the next item. Where to cast, how to read the river, fish behavior at different times of day… Do you see where I am going with this?
It is actually EASIER to give a man a fish than to teach him how to fish.
Teaching someone to fish, especially to the point of self-sustainment, takes time, care, and dedication. It is more than the transfer of knowledge. You stand with that person and guide them. And do you know what happens when you are that invested in another person? You begin to truly know them and love them. You begin to understand their hardships and perhaps that they did the best they could in the situation they had. You begin to be less judgemental and instead begin to encourage them.
Christ taught this way. He took time for the One.
I don’t claim to know what helping others should look like. I think how we help those around us is as diverse as there are individual people. I know that as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I committed to God that I would do everything in my power to use my talents to help people. Right now in my life, that mostly looks like investing my time with my children while being a listening ear and sounding board for people I meet along my journey in this life.
But I constantly need to check-in with myself and be honest if my efforts align with this concept of teaching others to fish in whatever way I am able. I am not sure that I am doing that to the best of my ability, but I am going to try my hardest to not use that phrase as an excuse to turn my back on helping those I can.
Thank you to my mama for talking this concept through with me. You are a woman who has shown me what it means to be a Disciple of Christ who serves quietly.
