Charity always begins at home

We all know the expression 'charity begins at home', but why then do so many people make a mess of it in their own lives and businesses?

- Peter Hughes.

A part of the British past, which many citizens would prefer to have expunged from their history, was the Roman invasion in 43 BCE, which resulted in the Romans ruling much of present-day Britain for over three-and-a-half centuries.

In the late 14th century, English historian John Wycliffe was researching this sad period in the life of Britons, pondering why and how it had been possible for Roman soldiers to defeat the great armies of the British kingdoms and subjugate their people for so long.

In his search for answers, he stumbled upon the history of playwright Publius Terentius Afer, better known as Terence, who used to entertain Roman soldiers with stories of why they should zealously look after themselves before worrying about other people.

It triggered an epiphany for Wycliffe, who suddenly realised that the Roman philosophy of looking after themselves before worrying about others could be the key to the Roman success in plundering and rampaging in Britain.

In his subsequent writings, Wycliffe expounded this philosophy, and in the language of those times, wrote: “Charity should begin at himself .”

In 1642, English writer Sir Thomas Browne edited Wycliffe’s language and words and the saying we all know so well today, ‘charity begins at home’, was born.