Conversion vs. Philanthropy

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. -Chinese proverb

I think this is applicable to our view of conversion versus philanthropy. Many would say that we are put on the earth not primarily to soak up our transformed relationship with God–but to make the world more just. I wholeheartedly agree. But, you make the world more just by leading others into a transformed relationship with God. Scripture does not say that angels rejoice when a malnourished child is fed or when an AIDS patient is ministered to (as wonderfully important as those things are). The angels rejoice when a sinner repents–comes into a right relationship with God. Philanthropy makes conversion attractive. They are complementary friends not rivals.