Charity begins at home ‘Charity begins at home’ – meaning and explanation

Introduction
Charity begins at home is a beautiful expression that emphasizes the need to prioritize the needs of one’s family before anything. Now, this is not to say that one must only think about his family and not do anything for the society. Charity is a good thing and we must all indulge in it for the betterment of our society.
However, this proverb implies that our first duty is towards our family. Once we fulfil this duty then we should go out and help others. A person who leaves his family crying and goes out and involves in charitable work cannot be called good.
The Meaning of the Word Charity
It is commonly believed that charity refers to providing financial aid to those in need. However, this is only partially true. The word charity comes from the Latin word, caritas which means love. So, charity does not necessarily mean providing only alms. It also refers to offering any kind of assistance and giving love and care to those in need. This means that one does not have to be financially rich to do charitable work. Each one of us can help the needy in our own unique way to fill the void in their lives.For instance, merely visiting children in orphanage or people in the old age homes and spending time with them can bring a smile on their face. However, someone who ignores his own parents and spends time at the old age home isn’t doing a task worth appreciation. He must first give time to his parents and other family members and then go out and help others.
Conclusion
The proverb, ‘charity begins at home’ gives a very powerful message. It says that, we must love our family dearly and keep them on the top of our priority list. We must fulfil all our responsibilities at home and then indulge in charitable tasks. Working for the benefit of the poor and needy is important but it should not be done at the cost of one’s family.
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME ESSAY 3 (400 WORDS)
Introduction
‘Charity begins at home’ means that a person’s foremost responsibility is to serve his family. He should go out and help others only when he has fulfilled his duties at home. The proverb dates back to centuries and thus the teaching it gives is being emphasized since a long time.