Charity begins at home

Conclusion
The phrase, ‘charity begins at home’ is a lesson that each one of us must imbibe. It stresses upon the fact that in order to help others and make this society a better place to live we must first work upon ourselves and cater to the needs of our close ones. However, it should not end there. Once these basic responsibilities are fulfilled, we must go out and help those in need.
However, the above mentioned interpretation may not be complete in itself. It is to be noted that if the parents neglect their children, ignore their needs and devote all their time in helping others, will the children still love the concept of helping others? No! They would rather hate it more than anything and keep away from it.
So, in a way both the interpretations of this phrase are true and interlinked. While we must indulge in charity and if the habit runs in the family, the kids shall inculcate the same however we must first be sensitive towards the needs of our kids and family members and then go out and help other. This is the best way to lead a wholesome life.
We must learn to prioritize and it should be our family that should be on the top of our priority list. Ignoring the needs of those at home and working for the good of the society is as bad as merely looking after our own needs and the needs of our family members and not extending any help to improve the society even as we have abundant means to do the same.
Conclusion
‘Charity begins at home’ sends across a strong message. We must understand its importance and follow it to lead a more satisfying life. We must remember that what we inculcate and practice is what we teach our children. It is thus imperative to imbibe good habits. We must first shower our family with abundance of love and care and fulfil all their essential needs and then help the poor and needy around us. If God has given us enough, then we must thank him by sharing our blessings with those in need. Children shall learn the same from their parents and the world will become a better place to live.
This interpretation, I’m sure, is echoed by many people around the world. But if you take a closer look at this definition, you will notice how selfish it is. And for that very reason, it defeats the true purpose of charity. For Christians, Christian charity is emphasized in bible verses from the old to the new testament.
You see, charity is about compassion, empathy, and the will to make life better for others. Those should not be reserved only for the people you know. If anything, it should be given to those you don’t know.
Just think about this: if Nelson Mandela chose to serve the needs of his family first rather than his fellowmen, the apartheid would still probably be in effect. If Mother Teresa chose to help her friends and family first, many people around the world would still be suffering. Even the bible teaches us that we should love all people as though they are our brothers and sisters.
However, this is not to say that this proverb is wrong. I’m saying that our interpretation of it is slightly off course and it’s high time we correct it.