Enabling the Poor

Awake my charity, to feed
The hungry soul, and clothe the poor:
In heaven are found no sons of need,
There all these duties are no more.
~ Sir Isaac Watts

As a donor-supported ministry, the Nashville Rescue Mission is often under the microscope, so to speak. Every day we are greeted with some opportunity or another to test our mettle. While many applaud our efforts to feed and clothe the hungry and homeless of our community, there are still some who are unsure of our work here. In their hesitation, they claim our ministry does nothing but enable our neighbors in need. I say those people are right.

Somewhere along the way, the word enable took on a very negative connotation. However, when I look it up in my dictionary, I find the word enable defined as “to make able; give means, power, competence or ability to do something; to equip.”

At the Mission, we strive to provide the least, last and lost of Middle Tennessee the means, power, competence and ability to overcome their situation, not stay there.

Sir Isaac Watts wrote many of the hymns we know and love. In the verse above, he points out the duty we have to help one another here on earth. When we are in heaven, as the Bible says, every tear will be wiped away. But here on earth there is still sorrow and pain. We are called as brothers and sisters to fight to overcome those trials. It is our duty.

When you support the Nashville Rescue Mission, you are fulfilling your duty to your fellow man. You are feeding the hungry and clothing the poor. You are equipping our guests to move on to a better future. You are empowering our brothers and sisters with the strength to make it through.

Thank you for partnering with us in our mission to help the poor. Because you care, men, women and children are learning to better themselves and their situations. Together, we can equip the hurting people of our city to become productive members of our society. Together, we will enable our friends to rise above the trials of this world until the day He wipes away every tear and our duties are no more.