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As a Christian, how do you respond to panhandlers? Where we shop, which is one of the poorest cities, we are approached every time by people asking for money. Some are very intoxicated, others look lazy, a few do not need the money, but many just don't manage their money properly. Most get government assistance with food, gas, and medical care. What do you do when they approach you and ask "Can you help me out"?
Usually if they have a sign or a cup I would just move on by ...........guitar players I will just move on by...... hitchhikers I would just move on by .............., hitchhikers standing by a broke car I could stop and give a ride ...... people indiscriminating asking for bus money I could give them a few dollars , by pray that this charity it to Jesus .... See you do not have to give to every one that stick their hand out , as Jesus will give people a pass .... See if the man on the road is beaten and robed then it is best to stop and help , but do it with faith to Jesus , as Jesus said give and I will give ....
I honestly don't see them much in my area. The few times I've encountered them I usually give a few bucks and a Gospel tract. I have also offered to buy lunch.
I give to every panhandler who asks me, one on one. Not the sign holders or the guitar players.
See here is the deal, one never knows if they are "entertaining angels". God placed it on my heart years ago that he wanted me to be generous to a certain class of beggar. I agreed. And quite frankly, I don't get approached all that often.
Had an interesting event three years ago. Got approached, one on one, in the corporate lot as I went to my county vehicle. Got asked by a lady. Gave. Was delayed 30-45 seconds. As I drove off I looked towards where the lady was and no sign of her. Thought nothing of it. Five minutes later, as I headed down the highway I noticed a dust cloud and came upon a head on collision that had just happened. The thought crossed my mind that had I been there 30 seconds earlier it coulda been me. Then I remembered being delayed by the beggar. I pondered the "coincidence" for the rest of the day.
So it remains my policy to give whoever asks (on a one on one level), the smallest bill in my wallet. Sometimes it's a 20, but hey, God is good.
************
A final thought; God wants us to be generous to the poor. Our part is to give. What the beggar does with the money is not our concern. Give as the Lord leads. You never know.
From working in the missions and halfway houses, I've often encountered folks that I know panhandling on the street corners. In some cases, I'll give them a couple of bucks, but, honestly, most of them have a place to stay and food to eat ... and are pretty much just looking for cigarette money. I've also often noticed that the ones on the street corners, are NOT the ones who show up for work in the mornings at the Day Labor places.
Nevertheless, it's a tough life out there and even though their life situation is often a result of their own repeated poor choices or dysfunction, I see little point in begrudging them a couple of bucks. Also, giving a few bucks to help a panhandler often 'helps' the giver more than the panhandler!
Think of it this way: How would you want someone else to respond if they encountered your dysfunctional son or brother in a similar circumstance? (IMO, there is a disproportionate fear expressed that one might possibly be financing an alcohol or drug addiction ... to justify NOT ever giving anything).
As a Christian, how do you respond to panhandlers? Where we shop, which is one of the poorest cities, we are approached every time by people asking for money. Some are very intoxicated, others look lazy, a few do not need the money, but many just don't manage their money properly. Most get government assistance with food, gas, and medical care. What do you do when they approach you and ask "Can you help me out"?
I would give them a few dollars and occasionally I would give them food, I would like to give them a gift card from a nearby fast food restaurant but haven't gotten around to that yet
To the sign holders, nothing. I think they are con artists.
To the truly homeless (you can tell the difference), I still won't give money. I'll go buy they some food and give that. I don't want to give them money they may use to buy drugs or alcohol.
Did Jesus and the disciples hand out food and clothing to those who reject Jesus and want nothing to do with God? I don't think so!
Our mission is to feed them the Bread of life so that they can come into the house of God and learn to depend upon God to be their provider, not build ourselves up as this man's god. The welfare system teaches us that you just make LAZY, UNPRODUCTIVE, SELFISH,UNGRATEFUL, sloths out of them. You can not buy a heart for God, nor will He have one who had to be bought!
Of course if you see someone not begging, lying in the bushes, dirty and clearly in need of some food or clean clothing and you have some, then tell him of Jesus, testify to how God has helped you and give him something to eat in the natural sense or some clothes. But if they reject to come to Christ, then do not return to him. For that is the reason they are in the position they are in, they reject the love of God, which is His Word, being our Lord Jesus.
The worst thing you can do is to become this man's god in which he keeps coming to you for handouts when he has no intension of coming to Christ and turn from his wicked ways that have him living down in the dumps in the DUST of the earth in chaos, darkness, torment, instead of repenting and confessing of their sins to begin living in the green grass, provided for by the blessing of God in peace in Christ.
In fact if you notice, Jesus never paid for anything he needed or ate at the expense of others, For those who work the fields for God are supposed to be found worthy of pay from the lost who appreciate the SOUL FOOD being God's Word. Spiritual food is worth much more to the wise than a ham sandwich! Wouldn't you say?
Most men do not realize this, and keep their treasures for the natural belly and call the man of God greedy if offering plate is mentioned. God is keeping tabs. Jesus took the poor widow woman's LAST mite which was all she had to live on and WROTE and boasted about her giving and his acceptance of it. For to give BACK to God and consider His Word a thing to desire is gain. I say give back to God, for there is nothing that we have that does not belong to God.
Acts 3:2-6
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. KJV
A black lady about 60 with a limp.
I left the courthouse about 9:30 on a cold MN November morning and she was near my car. She said she needed some money for a bite to eat.
I was carrying a lot of cash , opened my billfold and gave her a $10
She said ( in a disappointed way)............." thanks, but I was expecting a $20.
She was the first panhandler I ever gave over $2 to.
Did Jesus and the disciples hand out food and clothing to those who reject Jesus and want nothing to do with God? I don't think so! Our mission is to feed them the Bread of life so that they can come into the house of God and learn to depend upon God to be their provider, not build ourselves up as this man's god. The welfare system teaches us that you just make LAZY, UNPRODUCTIVE, SELFISH,UNGRATEFUL, sloths out of them. You can not buy a heart for God, nor will He have one who had to be bought!
Of course if you see someone not begging, lying in the bushes, dirty and clearly in need of some food or clean clothing and you have some, then tell him of Jesus, testify to how God has helped you and give him something to eat in the natural sense or some clothes. But if they reject to come to Christ, then do not return to him. For that is the reason they are in the position they are in, they reject the love of God, which is His Word, being our Lord Jesus.
The worst thing you can do is to become this man's god in which he keeps coming to you for handouts when he has no intension of coming to Christ and turn from his wicked ways that have him living down in the dumps in the DUST of the earth in chaos, darkness, torment, instead of repenting and confessing of their sins to begin living in the green grass, provided for by the blessing of God in peace in Christ.
In fact if you notice, Jesus never paid for anything he needed or ate at the expense of others, For those who work the fields for God are supposed to be found worthy of pay from the lost who appreciate the SOUL FOOD being God's Word. Spiritual food is worth much more to the wise than a ham sandwich! Wouldn't you say? Most men do not realize this, and keep their treasures for the natural belly and call the man of God greedy if offering plate is mentioned. God is keeping tabs. Jesus took the poor widow woman's LAST mite which was all she had to live on and WROTE and boasted about her giving and his acceptance of it. For to give BACK to God and consider His Word a thing to desire is gain. I say give back to God, for there is nothing that we have that does not belong to God.
Acts 3:2-6
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. KJV
Peter gave from that which he was able, unselfishly.
Apparently, your motives for giving are not the same?
"Keep your coins, he wants change; it's a heart condition."
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