Last week a group of Christians from New Life Church in Grantham decided to help the community by clearing up litter and providing events and entertainment for residents on one of the town's council estates. They intended to show the love of God to the people of the town and wanted to make a difference to the community.
However, the group has come in for much criticism, being accused of helping people "for the wrong reasons". It has been suggested that these volunteers were helping people, not because they care about the community, but because they "fear eternal punishment if they don't do this sort of work and expect to be rewarded in heaven". Some of the town residents have even suggested that it would have been better for them not to bother, because they are only trying to "ram their beliefs down people's throats".
We obviously have a bigger struggle on our hands than I had anticipated, when acts of kindness are viewed with resentment and suspicion!