I was listening to a message the other day and it really rubbed me the wrong way. The over all gist of the message was to not give to the needy on the street because they will just spend it on drugs and alcohol or they're just trying to hustle people because they know they can make more begging for money than actually working. Instead, the speaker went on to say that the only way to really help people on the street is to give financially to an organization that can help them. The guy painted this picture of every person on the streets being there because they have a drug addiction or are there because they are just bad people wanting to scam others. It has really been bothering me.
Don't get me wrong here - I believe there are people like that, but I do think there are people there who are genuinely in a tough situation; some may even be on the street because of what someone else did. I think that it's important to give to organizations that help the needy, but I do think that it's wrong to say not to give to people on the streets. Whatever they use the money for is their perogative, should we judge every single homeless or needy person based off of the wickedness of others? We are all wicked - that's evident in our daily lives. God commands us to give to the needy; that includes people on the streets. He also commands us not to judge others; but refusing to give to someone who says that he's in need because you *think* they may spend the money on drugs or alcohol is judgement. There are other ways to give to the needy than straight up cash too. In the past, my husband and I have had $5 giftcards and bibles in our car; so when we drove by someone asking for something we didn't have to drive by them knowing that we have an abundance of stuff and not give them something. That's not giving them cash that can go to a bad habit, but it's still providing them with the means to get physical food and, more importantly, spiritual food. I'm not saying that the guy was entirely wrong; I'm not so naive as to think that every single person who is homeless isn't there because of some addiction; but I'm not going to assume that everyone who is on the streets is there for that reason. Some people have just made some bad decisions and lost everything as a result of it - and it was done without being drug or alcohol related. Some times people just get in tough situations. Who are we to judge someone elses situation??
It breaks my heart to think that other people are going to listen to that message and what they hear will be somewhere along the lines of "don't give to the needy you see on the street."
Matthew 24:41-45
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' 45Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'"
Don't get me wrong here - I believe there are people like that, but I do think there are people there who are genuinely in a tough situation; some may even be on the street because of what someone else did. I think that it's important to give to organizations that help the needy, but I do think that it's wrong to say not to give to people on the streets. Whatever they use the money for is their perogative, should we judge every single homeless or needy person based off of the wickedness of others? We are all wicked - that's evident in our daily lives. God commands us to give to the needy; that includes people on the streets. He also commands us not to judge others; but refusing to give to someone who says that he's in need because you *think* they may spend the money on drugs or alcohol is judgement. There are other ways to give to the needy than straight up cash too. In the past, my husband and I have had $5 giftcards and bibles in our car; so when we drove by someone asking for something we didn't have to drive by them knowing that we have an abundance of stuff and not give them something. That's not giving them cash that can go to a bad habit, but it's still providing them with the means to get physical food and, more importantly, spiritual food. I'm not saying that the guy was entirely wrong; I'm not so naive as to think that every single person who is homeless isn't there because of some addiction; but I'm not going to assume that everyone who is on the streets is there for that reason. Some people have just made some bad decisions and lost everything as a result of it - and it was done without being drug or alcohol related. Some times people just get in tough situations. Who are we to judge someone elses situation??
It breaks my heart to think that other people are going to listen to that message and what they hear will be somewhere along the lines of "don't give to the needy you see on the street."
Matthew 24:41-45
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' 45Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'"
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