Sep 5, 2025
ACHI
If you frequent Google’s homepage or spend time on social media, you’ve probably noticed the rise of “awareness days.” Google’s Doodle changes frequently—often even daily—to mark artists’ birthdays, cultural moments, and more. We love the creativity, but it’s also a reminder of how easily our culture can over-market ideas for sales, content, or just for fun. After a while, so many themed days can blur together. And as the saying goes, if everything is special, nothing is.
Why bring this up? Because today is the International Day of Charity, and we’re well aware of the fatigue these observances can create. Instead of posting just to post, we want to offer a brief reflection on what charity is, why it exists, and why we believe it’s worth celebrating.
A quick bit of history.
In 2012 the United Nations General Assembly designated September 5—the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death—as the International Day of Charity. The aim is to encourage individuals, businesses, churches, and governments to promote charitable giving and volunteerism.
Why Charity?
As a Christian organization, we believe all people—and especially followers of Jesus—are called to remember and help those lacking physical, spiritual, and emotional support. In the Law, God instructed Israel to leave part of the harvest for the vulnerable: “the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow” (see Deuteronomy 24:19–22 and Leviticus 19:9–10).
Ultimately, charity recognizes our own need for God’s grace—and responds with open hands, sharing our belongings, talents, and treasure. That isn’t always easy, but Scripture reminds us that caring for the poor honors God himself (see Proverbs 19:17).
If you frequent Google’s homepage or spend time on social media, you’ve probably noticed the rise of “awareness days.” Google’s Doodle changes frequently—often even daily—to mark artists’ birthdays, cultural moments, and more. We love the creativity, but it’s also a reminder of how easily our culture can over-market ideas for sales, content, or just for fun. After a while, so many themed days can blur together. And as the saying goes, if everything is special, nothing is.
Why bring this up? Because today is the International Day of Charity, and we’re well aware of the fatigue these observances can create. Instead of posting just to post, we want to offer a brief reflection on what charity is, why it exists, and why we believe it’s worth celebrating.
A quick bit of history.
In 2012 the United Nations General Assembly designated September 5—the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death—as the International Day of Charity. The aim is to encourage individuals, businesses, churches, and governments to promote charitable giving and volunteerism.
Why Charity?
As a Christian organization, we believe all people—and especially followers of Jesus—are called to remember and help those lacking physical, spiritual, and emotional support. In the Law, God instructed Israel to leave part of the harvest for the vulnerable: “the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow” (see Deuteronomy 24:19–22 and Leviticus 19:9–10).
Ultimately, charity recognizes our own need for God’s grace—and responds with open hands, sharing our belongings, talents, and treasure. That isn’t always easy, but Scripture reminds us that caring for the poor honors God himself (see Proverbs 19:17).
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
Proverbs 19:17
International Day of Charity may look like just another calendar marker, but it doesn’t have to be. Let it be a call to remember God’s blessings and a catalyst to take a simple next step—loving those with less, in word and in deed.