Aiding The Poor

My husband half-laughed and then read the headline out loud (albeit totally misleading!), “Beware! Don’t give to those who look needy but are just too lazy to work.” (paraphrased)   It caused me to think about those who stand on street corners holding a cardboard sign that says “Please help.  Homeless.  Any amount.”  

I cringe sometimes since I’m not sure how to respond.  My instinct is to reach in my pocket and grab a couple dollar bills and give it away.

Yet there is so much information available about people who “panhandle” for a living.  There are horror stories about people who beg for money all day, then at day’s end, get in a high-end car and drive away.  How can we make a difference if we feel like we’re being hoodwinked and don’t have a clue?  

There are even awful stories of families who participate as “needy” at Christmas time for the Angel Tree program.  People give new clothes and toys to specific families and then the recipients turn around and take the new items back to the store for a refund (or gift card) to be spent the way they choose.  I expect most families don't do this, but somehow that takes the joy out of giving when you can’t even be sure the children in the family are given the gifts we’ve provided. 

I’ve considered the idea of buying gift cards from a fast food place to hand out instead of giving cash for the homeless, or just giving out clothes rather than taking them to Good Will or the Salvation Army.   I have absolutely no doubt there are those truly in need, but am uncertain about the best method to help!

I know Biblically we are called to take care of the poor.  My family was poor when I was growing up.  I don’t remember many “new” things, but we did accept recycled things from other members in our church family.  There was one Christmas my sister and I received a single gift because our family was going to take a trip that year and we were forewarned Christmas gift giving was going to be meager.

But there was an earlier Christmas, and I was too small to remember the details, but someone or a group of people provided us children with an amazing Christmas where I even received a beautiful new doll.  It was way more than my parents could have afforded and possibly we were part of the ‘Angel Tree’ category that year.  It’s a Christmas I’ll never forget.

Aiding the poor is what we are commanded to do in God’s Word more than once!  Does this mean we should only give to those “poor” who we know, given our culture of ‘get as much as you can, of what you want, in the easiest way possible’ mentality? Surely there must be a way to strike a balance.  

I look at my own closet and home and know I have WAY too much!  Should I could give it away?  Is that what Jesus meant when the wealthy young man asked how he could obtain eternal life and Jesus answered, 'sell what you have and give to the poor?'  We get very comfortable with our “material goods” and don’t think twice about shopping for more.  Is this being Christ like?  Is our focus on our worldly material goods, that will still be here when we die, rather than eternal life?

Sometimes it is.  We lose point on what is important.  Sure, it’s great to have nice things, but it’s better to have eternal life. Many of us, like myself, have too much. How about you?  What are your feelings on this subject?  How do you view the homeless person?  Do you find yourself drawing back with doubts on whether they “really need” and are using you, or do you give freely?