We could all probably use an inspiring quote as we welcome this new year. We’ve created these graphics just for you—to download and share, and to inspire you as we continue fighting poverty in Jesus’ name. Which one is your favourite?
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1. “But let justice roll on like river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” – Amos 5:24
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This quote conjures up a beautiful picture: an ever-flowing stream of situations being made right. That’s how the Bible refers to justice: bringing wholeness and loving our neighbour as we love ourselves. In Thailand, this meant supporting a 14-year-old girl financially so she could access the legal system after she was abused by her teacher. “We have to fight,” says Compassion centre director, Suwachai. “If we are not going to fight for justice for Mali, then if a case like this happens again, it will become normal.”
*Names have been changed.
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2. “The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is enough.” – Wess Stafford
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Enough nourishing food. Enough healing medical care. Enough education and opportunities. Enough love, care and the chance to hear about God’s love. When a child has enough, they can leave poverty behind for good.
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3. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” – Corrie ten Boom
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Corrie ten Boom knew the fear and anxiety of an uncertain future: she and her family were arrested for hiding Jews during World War II and sent to Nazi concentration camps. The unknown can feel frightening, as we all learned while navigating 2020. Whatever the situation—facing poverty, health crises, relationship breakdowns—one thing is certain: we can trust the unknown to the One who knows all.
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4. “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.” – Nelson Mandela
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Charity addresses an immediate need; justice gets to the root of the problem. True compassion and true justice require dismantling that which leaves others in need in the first place.
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5. “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.” – Edward Everett Hale
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When we feel overwhelmed about the state of the world and if our actions can even make a difference, let’s simply do the next right thing—even if it’s for a single person. There’s a famous parable about a young boy throwing starfish that had washed ashore back into the ocean, one by one. When questioned about whether he was really making a difference—there were tens of thousands of starfish still lying helplessly on the sand—the boy had a profound response. As he threw another starfish back, he said, “It made a difference to that one!”
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6. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
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We can all do something, and how much more impact can we make if we do it together? If even just one person joined the young boy on the beach to help him throw the starfish back into the ocean, twice as many could be saved.
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7. “Look for Christ and you will find Him. And with Him, everything else.” – C.S. Lewis
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Think of poverty, and the images that first come to mind tend to be physical: empty cupboards, hungry children, street-involved individuals. Yet there are many forms of poverty, and spiritual poverty is devastating. Without an understanding of God’s steadfast and unfailing love, it is difficult to resist despair. But it is transformative when a person realizes God loves and values them. When we find Christ, we find everything.
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Want more inspiration right in your Instagram feed?
Words by Zoe Noakes, Compassion International
