What do we “need” from an Orthodox mindset?

[SingularityOne]

I hear the secular world talking about “needs” of others. It sparked a question as to how to be compassionate to others without falling into vainglorious man-pleasing.

What do we “need” as Orthodox Christians?

Edit: I mean more along the lines of when we are loving others and they “need” something, how do I know if something is a “need” in accordance with Christ or a “need” in accordance with the devil?

 

[ArmyMatt]

the Church

 

[SingularityOne]

the Church

Yes. I mean more along the lines of when we are loving others and they “need” something, how do I know if something is a “need” in accordance with Christ or a “need” in accordance with the devil?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yes. I mean more along the lines of when we are loving others and they “need” something, how do I know if something is a “need” in accordance with Christ or a “need” in accordance with the devil?

the Church

 

[SingularityOne]

the Church

So, by this do you mean speaking to the need of Christ in each and every person, not their own distorted need of self-love?

Edit: I’m trying to understand the meaning behind your words.

 

[ArmyMatt]

So, by this do you mean speaking to the need of Christ in each and every person, not their own distorted need of self-love?

Edit: I’m trying to understand the meaning behind your words.

you will know something is done properly and not out of self love by allowing God's grace to work on you. you get that in the Church.

 

[SingularityOne]

you will know something is done properly and not out of self love by allowing God's grace to work on you. you get that in the Church.

Okay, that makes sense (to the degree I understand it). Thanks Fr. Matt.

 

[Justin-H.S.]

The easiest example: A homeless person panhandling. Give him/her money. Don't think about "Oh, he's just going to buy booze with the money." It's not your money, it's God's money that he lent to you. Give the homeless God's money without worry about what they will buy with it. That's not up to you. That's between him and God. When you practice this sort of alms-giving, the self-aggrandizing "Look at Me! I'm so compassionate" goes out the window. Just give them God's money. If they spend it on drugs, it's their choice they made and they will have to answer to God. "Go and sin no more."

That's something I heard, maybe Lazar Puhalo say once, but I heard he wasn't kosher as an archbishop, so who knows? Perhaps my example is wanting.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The easiest example: A homeless person panhandling. Give him/her money. Don't think about "Oh, he's just going to buy booze with the money." It's not your money, it's God's money that he lent to you. Give the homeless God's money without worry about what they will buy with it. That's not up to you. That's between him and God. When you practice this sort of alms-giving, the self-aggrandizing "Look at Me! I'm so compassionate" goes out the window. Just give them God's money. If they spend it on drugs, it's their choice they made and they will have to answer to God. "Go and sin no more."

That's something I heard, maybe Lazar Puhalo say once, but I heard he wasn't kosher as an archbishop, so who knows? Perhaps my example is wanting.

that's actually a really good example. we do need discernment, but it's God's money anyway.

 

[SingularityOne]

The easiest example: A homeless person panhandling. Give him/her money. Don't think about "Oh, he's just going to buy booze with the money." It's not your money, it's God's money that he lent to you. Give the homeless God's money without worry about what they will buy with it. That's not up to you. That's between him and God. When you practice this sort of alms-giving, the self-aggrandizing "Look at Me! I'm so compassionate" goes out the window. Just give them God's money. If they spend it on drugs, it's their choice they made and they will have to answer to God. "Go and sin no more."

That's something I heard, maybe Lazar Puhalo say once, but I heard he wasn't kosher as an archbishop, so who knows? Perhaps my example is wanting.

Thanks, that’s helpful as I’m quite more abstract than practical in my thoughts and ideas, haha.

 

[Xenophon]

The easiest example: A homeless person panhandling. Give him/her money. Don't think about "Oh, he's just going to buy booze with the money." It's not your money, it's God's money that he lent to you. Give the homeless God's money without worry about what they will buy with it. That's not up to you. That's between him and God. When you practice this sort of alms-giving, the self-aggrandizing "Look at Me! I'm so compassionate" goes out the window. Just give them God's money. If they spend it on drugs, it's their choice they made and they will have to answer to God. "Go and sin no more."

That's something I heard, maybe Lazar Puhalo say once, but I heard he wasn't kosher as an archbishop, so who knows? Perhaps my example is wanting.

Yeah, not 'kosher.' Became a schismatic when his synod ruled against him concerning his refutation of tollhouses (the synod did only said that 'while we don't dogmatically affirm the tollhouses, you can't say the tollhouses aren't in tradition and make your own personal opinion dogma') which was a public dispute he had. He became canonical only when his schismatic sect stopped being schismatic and went into communion with ROCOR - but ROCOR required that Lazar retire (and not teach) as part of the reunion agreement. That doesn't mean he's not orthodox, or that he doesn't have good teachings about some things.