CCDA Principle #4: Redistribution

“Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.”

We’ve all heard this age-old proverb. It’s been used both for and against social welfare programs, as a guideline for empowerment models, and to consider the difference between providing for someone’s immediate needs and equipping them to become self-sufficient.

Dr. John Perkins, a Christian minister, civil rights activist, and author, famously expanded upon this statement by asking, “Who owns the pond?” In his expansion, he addressed issues of systemic injustice by questioning who owns the pond, who polluted it, and who controls access to it. It’s not enough to teach a person to fish if they do not have access to the pond, or even the autonomy to choose how they want to feed themself.

Recently, our staff had the opportunity to explore the idea of redistribution as led by the Christian Community Development Association. It was acknowledged that redistribution is not a program or service; it is a practice or rhythm meant to be infused in every area of our lives.

Redistribution seeks to address economic systems that are affected by ignorance, entitlement, or privilege. At its core, it is the pursuit of equitable access for all. We can’t simply look to individuals in need; we must also look at the systems that shape their access to resources and the people who have the power to influence them. This requires us to move beyond simply asking how we can help and begin asking what has created the need in the first place. When we do this, we begin to see that redistribution is not just about giving resources away, but about creating more just and equitable communities where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.

One of the most impactful biblical examples of redistribution is found in the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector who had benefited from a system that allowed him to accumulate wealth at the expense of others. When Jesus encounters him, He does not simply offer Zacchaeus a lesson on generosity from a distance. Instead, Jesus enters into relationship with him, going to his home and calling him back into community. Zacchaeus’ response to this encounter is one of radical restoration: “the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” His transformation demonstrates that redistribution is not simply about giving away what we have. It is about recognizing when our resources have been accumulated through unjust systems and taking responsibility for restoring what has been taken.

Leviticus 19 provides another picture of what it means to pursue justice through the distribution of resources. God instructs His people not to harvest every last part of their fields, but to leave the edges and fallen grapes for the poor and the sojourner. This command is significant because it builds generosity and access directly into the way the community operates. The responsibility was not placed solely on those experiencing poverty to find a way out of it. Those with resources were called to intentionally create space for others to flourish. This challenges the idea that generosity is simply an individual act of charity. Biblical justice requires us to examine the systems and practices that determine who has access to resources in the first place.

Redistribution also challenges the way we understand what it means to be a good neighbor. Loving our neighbor as ourselves, as commanded in Leviticus 19, requires more than simply meeting an immediate need. It calls us to consider whether our neighbors have equitable access to economic, educational, social, and relational resources. When God’s people commit to living alongside marginalized communities, becoming good neighbors, and working for justice alongside those communities, redistribution becomes a natural part of Christian discipleship. The goal is not to create dependency, but to address the barriers that prevent communities from accessing the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

It’s not simply about giving away what we have; it is about recognizing the resources, opportunities, relationships, and influence we have been given and considering how they can be shared for the flourishing of our neighbors. Through Mission Waco’s Mobilization Team, we seek to equip and encourage people to practice this kind of redistribution by inviting them into deeper relationship with neighbors experiencing poverty and creating opportunities to share what they have for the good of the community. This may mean offering our time and skills through volunteer service, using our professional knowledge to meet a community need, contributing resources to programs that increase access and opportunity, or simply choosing to step outside of our own comfort and become more engaged with the realities of poverty in our community. In doing so, we hope to move people beyond a mindset of charity and toward a practice of shared responsibility, recognizing that we all have something to contribute, and that our communities are stronger when the resources and gifts we have are made accessible to one another.

Redistribution calls us to move beyond simply responding to individual needs and toward creating communities where everyone has the opportunity to flourish. It is not simply about giving someone a fish, but asking who owns the pond, who has access to it, and whether we are willing to make room for our neighbors to fish alongside us. How might God be calling you to practice redistribution in your own community?