As Christians in the age of globalization, the problem of world poverty is no longer comfortably out of reach. We find ourselves asking, like the lawyer of Jesus’ day, “who is my neighbor?” Yet the answers to poverty are complex and our response is often simplistic. Shrewd Samaritan, by Bruce Wydick, goes a long way toward informing that response by teaching us to compassionately—and effectively—love our global neighbor.
Wydick suggests that “most people have a genuine desire to help the poor . . . but . . . do not feel confident about the best ways to help” (XVI). To move from compassion to effective action requires the right mindset. For this, Wydick points to two of Jesus’ parables: the Good Samaritan, who had compassion on his global neighbor, and the Shrewd Manager, who gave reprieve to his master’s debtors to win friends before he got sacked. “The Shrewd Manager . . . understands at least one important thing: money is temporal, but people and relationships are not” (12). Christians need to exercise Good Samaritan compassion, but with the strategic cunning and urgency of the Shrewd Manager.
As an economist who studies poverty intervention, and as a Christian, Wydick provides a unique perspective. Charts, numbers, randomly controlled trials, and research—not emotional anecdotes—buttress his writing. This approach is refreshing, because it cuts through the haze of charity fundraising propaganda and political talking points. Wydick starts with the past, using life expectancy and income statistics to show that poverty is the rule, not the exception. He explains how different factors (geography, culture, and institutions) lead to poverty and how various traps (education, savings, spiritual beliefs, etc.) make it hard to escape the cycle.
Unlike secular frameworks for addressing poverty, Wydick suggests that only the Judeo-Christian worldview contains the basis for human value. Consequently, instead of just trying to feed the most orphans at the lowest cost, Christian poverty interventions affirm human dignity and promote human flourishing. Using these criteria, Wydick rates a number of popular poverty interventions based on studies of their effectiveness, cost, and generalizability. Some of the results are surprising. Child sponsorships, deworming treatments, and cash gifts rank the highest; while microcredit, clothing donations, and fair-trade coffee rank near the bottom.
One thing Wydick fails to address: the role of the gospel in poverty intervention. Can human flourishing truly occur if a person escapes poverty, but not eternal judgement? And what effect does the gospel have on breaking the cycle of poverty? These questions are important, but not easily answered by research and statistics.
Do you want to cultivate your compassion for the poor and disadvantaged? Read this book and let it move you to action. Do you long to be effective in your giving instead of just well-intentioned? This book offers the tools and the knowledge to give with confidence. Shrewd Samaritan challenges all of us to engage our minds and our hearts in loving “the least of these.”