The Good Samaritan and the slaughter of innocent Syria's

United Kingdom can be proud that in 2013, it made good on a 43-year-old promise to give 0.7 per cent of its income in aid to the world’s poorest people.

Despite this being less than one per cent of national income being sent to those in need, some in the media – and in parliament – described this in outraged tones that it is a scandal.

For me, the scandal is that they oppose helping those in such abject poverty.

Certainly, times are tougher here than previously as our economy only limps on, but as a Christian I take inspiration from the words of Jesus

.

Not only is it common for Christians to tithe a tenth of their income and give it to good causes (10 per cent, not less than one) but we have the powerful 'Parable of the Good Samaritan'.

Jesus told the story of the beaten and dying man who was shunned by a priest and a Levite but was helped by a Samaritan, a people that were the hated enemy of the Jews.

He risked his own safety by helping the man in need and then paid for his care and rehabilitation. It wasn’t easy or cheap for the Samaritan yet he did it.

Jesus asks his audience: “Who was a good neighbour to the man?” When they replied “the one who showed him compassion”, Jesus told them to go and do likewise.

The UK’s economic situation means life can be tough, but most of us still live in relative comfort and wealth compared to the abject poverty of the developing world.

The website globalrichlist.com tells you where your annual income ranks compared to the rest of the world.

We in Manningham and across our country have institutional safety nets like healthcare (the NHS), free education and welfare benefits which millions of people in poverty can only dream of.

By making the aid budget a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) it will go up and down as our economy grows and shrinks. 

So when times are tough in Britain, the amount we give in aid will go down.

Previously our overseas aid budget has been around 0.54 per cent of GNI and although the total amount is still small compared to other spending; pensions (20 per cent), welfare (17 per cent) and defence (seven per cent), the increase is significant.

Our aid budget is something we can be incredibly proud of and as we see the awful conditions and dire need for funds in Syria as millions of refugees seek food and shelter, we can be proud that, at least in terms of aid, Britain is being a good neighbour.

As our country gives aid, along with the rest of the EU, which amounts to millions of pounds and is nice.

This boy needs love, a shoulder, and new familial relationships to begin to heal his lamenting spirit. 

He doesn't understand talk of the anti-Assad forces, Al-Qaeda or the Free Syrian Army. 

He doesn't do politics, he just wants to put his arms around someone who will care for him and be loved again.

And his story - whatever it is - will be just one among the multitudes of the innocent dead.

When St John saw the souls beneath the altar crying "How long?" (Rev 6:9 -11), he saw the question as the Old Testament prophets had left it:

Many of those who lie dead in the ground will rise from death. Some of them will be given eternal life, and others will receive nothing but eternal shame and disgrace. Everyone who has been wise will shine as bright as the sky above, and everyone who has led others to please God will shine like the stars. (Daniel 12:2 - 3).

Outstanding injustice awaits the final intervention of God to judge this world and to give life to the dead.

Daniel expresses the limitations of a purely cosmological theodicy in chapters 4 and 5. It is the darkness of history, the sealed scroll in God's hand that reduces John to tears.

It is the revelation of the Lion of Judah, who is also the sacrificed Lamb of God, which affords us a glimpse of joy that evil and suffering are made intelligible.

But this doesn't comfort the grieving children of Homs, Maaloula or Aleppo.

We can pray and send money or we can petition the Government to open our borders and welcome them. 

Whatever or whichever, doing nothing is not an option.