Give to the poor - definitely. But I’ve only once given to a beggar. All honesty, it’s a little scary to give to someone who approaches you on the street. (It’s equally scary to buy from someone who approaches you from a kiosk in the mall - “Pardon me sir, but can I see your hands?”)

@ Cory
Yea, I agree with you it can be dangerous. That is why every situation is a unique one.

On another note, I did a quick study of beggars in the New Testament and every example of beggars I found in the New Testament had a physical ailment, that led to their inability to work. I thought that was interesting.

[…] presents Don’t give to the poor? posted at Money in the Bible | Christian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Is giving to beggars […]

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I wouldn’t call homeless people who are begging, beggars. I don’t think that its right. Its usually considered that you are better to donate money to a charity that supports the homeless (or buy the Big Issue if its in your city) than to give money to people begging on the street.

It’s always upsetting to me to see so-called Christians come up with ways to justify why they don’t help people in need. The Good Samaritan story didn’t show us to come up with reasons why not to help- it’s just about helping. The Samaritan didn’t say “Oh well, get a job loser!”- he helped. This is Jesus’ greatest example of who and how we are to help. HOWEVER POSSIBLE. A mentally impaired street person may not have the wherewithall to hold a job- or even be able to access social programs depending on his condition. Do you turn away and do nothing? Sounds like it from some of the results above. I might buy the person a coffee and donut or a sandwich, depending on the time of day- and then direct them to our families church, where we have a food cupboard and a clothing closet.

DivaJean, I think your response was a bit harsh, but your point is valid. Don’t focus on just Christians. Everyone should live up to a higher standard, whether they’re religious or atheist, so pointing fingers at supposed hypocrisy isn’t the right course of action.

But back to your point, I’d like to add that you can’t always pick out those who are in need due to a mental or physical handicap versus those who are just lazy. I agree both with this article that it might be perpetuating laziness, but it’s probably not our job to judge whether the person is able or not. It’s just our job to help them if they ask for it (keeping our safety in mind), and let God choose how to direct that person further.

[…] PF asks whether we should really give to the poor. I left my own comment about my thoughts on this, but the basic question is whether we’re […]

@DivaJean - Regarding your “so-called Christians”, please read Matthew 7:1-5 and John 8:7. Shame on you for judging a brother without evening knowing him. I think if you would take a few minutes to read Bob’s blog, you’ll find you are very wrong indeed.

@Cleverguy - well put.

As others have pointed out, it is possible to help the poor by giving to ministries that work with the poor. Near us, we have a food pantry. That’s an excellent opportunity to help the poor and chances are slim that it will be abused.

[…] Don’t Give to the Poor. What’s the best way to meet the needs of the homeless? […]

“maybe loving some beggars is to NOT give them food or money.”

How am I to see this any other way? This is HARSH- judging whether someone is worth your help. Jesus didn’t come to us and say- “Be as paternalistic as hell and add qualifyers to anything you do, expecting some sort of payoff.” He said love. Love doesn’t judge whether someone deserves or not, it just gives and gives.

I can tell I am making huge mistakes in investing effort here at this site!

@DivaJean

I wish I could sit down with you and discuss this whole thing. The truth is that I am merely posing a question - In my personal life I have made the decision that I am going to give those who ask and let God deal with them if they are in the wrong. So please don’t misunderstand the post as an excuse not to give, because it is not that at all.

It is a question of how best to LOVE someone. I probably didn’t explain it well enough, but when I said, “maybe loving some beggars is to NOT give them food or money.”
I did not mean that we should just ignore them - it means doing whatever is best for them, whatever will help them solve their problems. Just two weeks ago, I did just what you suggested stopped and offered to take the guy out to lunch (he turned me down) and talked to him for 15 minutes about improving his situation.

So, I am not going to spend all day defending myself, but the point is to LOVE people and do what is best for them LONG TERM - I don’t know what that answer is a lot of times, hence the reason for the question.

@laura
Good point.

@cleverdude
I agree with your statement as well…

My city started a campaign to educate people to “give smart” (http://www.givesmartseattle.org/). Not all beggars are homeless or in “need” of our spare change. Some ask for money for food but use it to buy alcohol and drugs. For others, panhandling *is* their “job” — only they’re not doing any work in exchange for your hard-earned income. They’re scamming you. (I wish I could remember the article I read on this recently.) By giving to the shelters and foodbanks in your city, your money is helping more people and helping people who really need it until they can get back on their feet.

I wrote about a similar topic a little while back. Some might find it helpful.

http://homewardbound-cb.blogspot.com/2007/08/are-you-discerning-in-your-generosity.html

[…] don’t give to the poor? @ christian finance, should you, or should you not give money to people begging on the street? […]

I have two thoughts on this. One is that if you haven’t read it, give “Down and Out in Paris and London” by George Orwell a try. A really excellent book that makes you think about this issue in another way.
I am always a little conflicted when I see people begging. Part of this is that I went to college in a place where every day I had to cross a street where there were many, many people begging. While it is well and good to say that you should give to those who ask, there was no way to do that. So the question becomes how to give, to whom to give. I still don’t have a good answer.
From my limited experiences working in the non-profit sector, however, I can tell you this. There are always people who abuse the system. It doesn’t matter if it is a charity that works directly with people, disaster relief, environment. A portion of every dollar will be spent poorly. It may be stolen. Projects that are designed to help may in fact harm (the dilemma you write about). At my last job I got disillusioned by this (and I worked for a very good charity with spartan offices, a strong moral code, who really worked to get bang for every donated buck). Someone there told me that the Dalai Lama wrote about this (I’ve never checked) and came to the conclusion that you have to try anyway. You have to give, knowing that a portion of your donations will be abused. If enough people do that, good can be accomplished despite the abuse that will occur.
Good luck with your dilemma : )

@Liz

Thanks for commenting on this, you bring a unique perspective as someone who has had a bit more experience with this issue than most of us… It is such a tricky situation and that is why I am convinced that we need God’s help to find out what to do each time we encounter it.

I think it is best to always err on the side of generosity. As someone said previously, I believe that it is up to us to always be as giving as we can with our time, talents, money, whatever we are blessed with… if somebody else takes advantage of those things or abuses our generosity, it is for God to deal with in the end. This does not mean that I am naive to the reasons for another’s lack of resources (whether it is laziness, substance abuse, etc). The bottom line is that I always try to show kindness to these people. Even if they are just being lazy, or a drunk I still feel sad for the situation they are in.

sorry, I had to just add, I have been a social worker for almost 8 years. I too know from experience that many people abuse the systems of charity but I still think that it is not up to us to give up on trying to make the world a better place, like Liz said.

@Diva Jean, I think it is a bit rough to be so judgmental about an entry that begins by talking about playing devil’s advocate. The fact is that many people are in poverty because of their own choices. Many refuse to work. Is it “un-Christian” to search scripture for an answer and to test different verses to see what was said? And the case of the Good Samaritan does not really fit, because the man he helped was near death, not refusing to work.

Bob, I think the one thing I would point to in this discussion is that this verse in particular is directed at the church and is talking about believers who are idle. I am not sure it applies to the needy outside the church.

Looking at how poverty was handled in the bible is interesting. In the Old Testament, the corners of the field were set aside for the poor to glean from. In other words, they worked for their food.

I don’t really know exactly what the answer is, but it is an interesting question to explore.

@Brooke
I agree, I think it is better to err on the side of being generosity -

@Dana
Nice comment, I think you bring up some interesting points… Honestly, I haven’t studied the verse and the context very thoroughly - I was tossing it out there for discussion, as you mentioned, playing devil’s advocate.

I am so happy that we have God’s mercy and grace to cover us when we mess up, but I think scripturally one could argue that God expects us to make the most of what we have been given (parable of the talents, widow’s mite, etc.)

So, as I am thinking about this as I am writing, I just keep thinking of more and more things to write about it, but I won’t. It all comes back to LOVE… Matthew 22:36-40

It isn’t love to give an alcoholic a drink…it isn’t love to enable people to pursue activities that are destructive to themselves. I do think that aiding the poor with direct money can fall into this. My husband bought a man a knee brace once and watched as he returned to the store to get the refund. He had been scammed. The question is, I guess, do we require someone to work before we give them assistance (assuming they are able), or do we leave it up to God? After all, Christ also says that if a man asks for your overcoat, you should give them your undergarments as well. (I’ve read some interesting things about what that meant, but that is an entirely different post!)

I like working with ministries who are able to meet all the needs of the poor…education, support, counseling, shelter and food. The ten dollars that I might give to some guy on the street corner does not do him very much good, even if he does use it on food. But there is something distant about it, too.

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[…] don’t give to the poor? - are we doing the right thing when we give money directly to people on the streets? possibly not (try donating to Shelter) […]

[…] presents Don’t give to the poor? posted at Money in the Bible | Christian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “Is giving to beggars […]

From,
Pastor.T.Padma Rao,
Rock church, naidustreet,
NUZVID-521201,
Krishna,Dt,
A.P. South India.

To,

Gods Ministers,

Greetings to you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for your fellowship and friendship in Jesus Christ Name. We are praying for you.

I have found out your web site on the internet. Praise the Lord for your Gods service and fellowship. Thank you.

My full name is Talari Padma Rao, I am doing a senior Pastor for 20 years in our Area.
I have had studied B.Sc; degree, Physical Education Trained and Biblical Education. When I am doing as a High school teacher, which is Gods was called to me as a full time Gods Minister in His vineyard. I am obeyed to the word of God and my Gods vision. Isaiah= 56: 1 to 7 . So that I have dedicated to the Gospel work for my life. I am doing Gospel work since 1988, feb, 26th 5: P.M. Praise God, Halleluiah and Amen. This is Gods willing for my life. Thank God. Now and then I am independently gospel worker in our Area. I am doing gospel work at NUZVID town. I have had church, and congregation. Also I have had Villages Ministries.

My wife name is T.Kumari, she has prayerful woman and I have two daughters, they are secular Education finished and now they are studying Bible Education at Bible College.

We are pray for you, your ministries in prayers. Please send your kindly a few words about your ministries.

Please reply to me soon,

Thank you,
Your brother in Christ,
Pastor.T.Padma Rao.

@Pastor.T.Padma Rao
Thanks for stopping by - I appreciate the prayers, I will be praying to for you and your ministry as well…

I wish you all the best!!

I was once asked for money by a ’street person’. I asked him ‘what will you use the money for’? He then made an indication with his hand telling me he was going to use the money to drink. My reply to him was: ‘I’ve seen too many people hurt by alcohol and I care about you too much to be a part of that so I will not give you any money’. I believe I made leaps and bounds for the Lord in that man’s life that day! Blindly following scripture without any attempt at discernment is a sign of a legal mentality and is sinful if we know we’re feeding someone’s sinful habits. I’m convinced we’re to give people what they need and what they need is not always what they tell us:
An alcoholic will tell us they need money or a meal or a place to stay. But let’s face it, they’ve got thus far in their condition! What he might truly need is the life-giving word that breaks him free from their addiction! (just an example here)
Make no mistake, I’m neither advocating giving or not but that we should be discerning and sensitive to the will of the Father and with that in mind there would be many instances where it would be clear He would not endorse the type of giving we traditionally give.

@Darren
Great comment! There really is something to be said for discerning in the situation…