Christians and the 'Art' of Panhandling
by Matt Kaufman on 07/17/2009 at 6:00 AM
Reporter Lane DeGregory took it to the streets recently, hanging out among the panhandlers of Tampa to see just how they go about their, well, work. Others have gotten headlines (and the occasional movie) out of unusual cases, but DeGregory's piece is more typical and down-to-earth.
It's full of colorful stories--panhandlers faking disabilities (wheelchairs and walkers are standard props) and military records (criminal records are more common) and otherwise looking for ways to con their marks. ("Stand on one foot sometimes so drivers will think you're not drunk; [act like] your eyes are bloodshot because you've been crying.") "Panhandling isn't just a job. It's an art," said one artiste, who tailors his signs to his audience. For older drivers: "Homeless Vet." For people who look like they party: "Why lie? I need beer," followed by the punch line: "God bless!"
Ah yes, the ubiquitous "God bless;" variants on that keep popping up. (One man who lives behind a church shows up on Sunday with a sign reading "Got God? Need daily bread.") Christians are considered especially easy marks. It's easy to see why. We take seriously all the Bible's talk of helping the poor.
As we should. But in these cases, we need to think about whether we're really helping. I've known a couple people who offered simple jobs to men with "Will Work for Food" signs: No one ever took them up on the offer. I've known others who offered to take panhandlers to restaurants; a few said yes, but most turned down that offer too. They just wanted the cash.
Can we help people like that? Maybe not. Still, there's a challenge for Christians here: We don't want to get conned, but we also don't want to grow callous. Both are dangers I struggle with. Generally (with occasional exceptions), I don't give to strangers: I give to charities I know and trust. But I have to make sure I don't harden my heart to panhandlers, even if I won't hand them my wallet. It's all too tempting to hold them in contempt, to focus on their sins instead of my own. I have to remind myself that they're still God's children, and to pray for them.
1. Elizabeth said the following at 7:27 AM on Jul 17:
Thank you for the article. This is an area where I personally struggle. Having travelled to countries where the needs of the people are obvious and begging is common it is difficult to callously brush people off. Even so I have wondered about where the help I am giving goes. A friend informed me that even giving food doesn't always mean you are nourishing someone...it may be a means of trade for more sought after items. It seems trite to promise to pray for someone and ignore their plea for help. One verse that has always stuck out in my mind is Luke 6:30 - 'Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.' It doesn't say "evaluate the motives of everyone who asks you and determine whether it is right to give." And yet I do not want to be fooled or unwise either. Often when I give money or food I will also give some small paper with a spiritual message as well. Hopefully Feeding both body and soul.
One thing that hit me was the comment about how Christians are an easy mark. In one way that angers me that people would take advantage of a well meaning person. In another way that means that we as Christians act different and those panhandling notice it. It also means that there is likely a greater interaction with Christians than anyone else.
Not only that but it may not be a bad thing to do something "foolish" in the world's eyes - giving even if you think the person is lying as to usage of funds. What Jesus did for us seems utterly foolish when you have the World's perspective. So it may seem foolish by human standards to follow Luke 6:30 but '...the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.' -1 Cor. 1:25
2. L said the following at 7:40 AM on Jul 17:
If I have food I offer it to them. One time I handed a man a bunch of bananas, because i had just been grocery shopping. Sometimes it is granola bars or cheese sticks. It is good for me to give even though i wasn't 'planning' to, and it provides a good "talk-about-it" opportunity with my kids.
3. DP said the following at 7:41 AM on Jul 17:
I have no problem giving money to strangers, but make sure that you get to know that person. Talk with them, eat with them, see them regularly. If you do that, it's pretty easy to tell who is faking, and who is just out for beer money...
4. Adam Beard said the following at 7:55 AM on Jul 17:
For those with signs for food, our youth ministry once made sandwitch bags with things like cheesecrackers, can of beenie weenies, a spoon, napkin, a rice krispie treat,etc and a tract to give out instead of money.
5. Jessica said the following at 8:22 AM on Jul 17:
I appreciate Matt taking on this subject of panhandling and what our response as Christians should be, but I have to respectfully disagree with some of his statements in his final paragraph.
He asks the question, "Can we help people like that?" and answers "Maybe not". These are the very people we need to be helping! We are not called to only love those that are easy to love, but instead, loving our enemies...those who are "unlovable". Now how can we love them? I'm in agreement that giving money to those asking for it is generally not a good idea, and I also agree that giving to charities that are known and trustworthy is paramount in our Christian lives. However, that keeps the poor at a distance. It's easy to write a check every month and trust that it's going to needy people, but it's harder to form relationships with those people in our community who are sitting on the street corner asking for money. But I'm reminded of Matthew 25, and the passage about the sheep and goats. It does not say, "I was a charity and you wrote me a check", but the Scripture clearly states, "I was a stranger and you invited me in". We NEED to give to strangers.
How can we do that without giving money? I think it's a great idea to have a general knowledge about what ministries there are in your community and be able to direct people to a job bank/ministry center/free meal/etc... Sure, some people won't take you up on it, and most people probably know, but for those few people you meet who are new in town and generally need and want help getting "back on their feet", it is good information to have on hand. Secondly, have some cold bottles of water in your car, or protein bars, or $5 McDonald's gift cards. If people are hungry, they will take them. And if not, that's fine. It's simply our job to be faithful to God's directives.
Lastly, don't dehumanize people who are on those corners by rolling up your windows, locking your doors and pretending to be fiddling around with your iPod or cell phone. Talk to people!! What a testament to the graciousness of our God to say "good morning" and talk to the man or woman who is holding that cardboard sign.
I agree with Matt that the people he writes about in this post are God's children, and we need to pray for them. But let's do more than that. Let's get out of our comfort zone and love them as Christ has loved them. Let's not keep the marginalized in our society at arms length, but rather embrace them as part of the Kingdom.
6. Irene M. said the following at 8:23 AM on Jul 17:
Thanks for posting this. I attended college in a town with lots of panhandlers and was quite saddened to see how "Christians" treated these people. I've seen already drunk college kids stop and treat panhandlers to dinner, while my righteous and "upstanding" former friends refused to look them in the eyes. It's disgraceful.
Maybe it's my Mormon background rearing its head, but my personal philosophy is if someone asks me for money and I have cash then I always give it. Have I been conned at some point? Certainly. However, I have also seen a lot of panhandlers spend their change at my former work (a local restaurant) or sleeping in my church. What if I refuse someone money and they're actually in need? In my opinion, keeping $2-5 really isn't worth such a grievous sin.
7. Renee said the following at 8:27 AM on Jul 17:
"Under the Overpass" is a really good book on helping the homeless and understanding them.
8. ally said the following at 9:44 AM on Jul 17:
I've given a good bit of thought to this as well, and for now, my answer is to always acknowledge the person (through eye-contact, conversation, etc.) and offer to buy the person a meal and conversation or crackers if I'm able to at the time. I keep food in my console for the men who often sit on the interstate ramps. I also like the idea of keeping contact information for a local shelter to distribute should someone need it.
As for giving money, I don't think that is generally helpful or the most loving choice simply because it is so often used to feed an addiction to alcohol or drugs.
9. Paxton said the following at 10:15 AM on Jul 17:
If all you do is give to charities, isn't that like paying other people to show hospitality for you?
I've got no practice with helping poor people myself -- but then I've got no practice supporting charities myself either :( but I want to do better, and if I do better I want to be PERSONALLY involved because I think we miss a lot of blessings (for everyone involved) by making hospitality and charity something for "organizations". The *church* is the organization, and we are the church. =P
10. Paxton said the following at 10:16 AM on Jul 17:
But yes, I agree that there are lots of people to whom just giving money won't be very helpful. What you said about the panhandlers refusing simple jobs is interesting...I think that that's a good test. =)
11. James said the following at 10:50 AM on Jul 17:
Aren't "God's children" only those that are his? I don't mean to nitpick, I agree with the overall sentiment of the post. But it is kind of an important distinction to make I think, we are not all necessarily God's children.
12. JenR said the following at 11:07 AM on Jul 17:
Get there by 7 a.m. or some guy who says he's disabled, or some woman who claims she has kids, will steal your slice of sidewalk.
In St. Petersburg, off I-275, nine people compete for shifts at one intersection. Turf wars erupt. A 60-year-old man who uses a walker recently shoved a 49-year-old into the bushes. "He knew I owned that spot under the tree."
Every M-F for the past couple of years, I drive by a dozen or so pan-handlers in a five block radius, and I've grown to know their schedules. You can tell who has "seniority" by who gets the busiest corner and the "earliest" corner (there's a four block stretch with a pan-handler on each corner - the newest person is generally at the end and at a corner with a shorter light and less time for cars to accumulate, which would logically mean less intake).
Panhandlers say: If someone else is waiting to fly a sign, you have to rotate out every half-hour. If you leave to get a drink, you forfeit your shift.
It's also interesting to see how panhandlers handle the varying shifts. During the afternoon drive home, there's generally a few guys hanging out on a low wall, chatting, smoking, drinking, while one of their buddies holds the sign on the corner, waiting for their slot, or for the guy who is working to take a break so they can have a turn. I used to park behind the building where they hang out and so grew to recognize them, and they me, and we would exchange friendly hellos (and for any new people, the old guys warned them to not pester me [single young woman], which was nice). They've even helped me merge from the alley onto the busy street by standing in the street (while the cars were stopped for the light) and waving me on in.
I never repaid with money, but instead with kindness (and I've been told by these grizzled old men it's nice to just get a friendly smile. So I guess echoing the thought of treating pan-handlers like human beings).
The typical daily take falls between $60 and $100.
Couch and Saldana say they each collect about $80 a day, more than they would make flipping burgers or stocking shelves. They don't have to punch a clock, ask for a lunch break or pay taxes. "A while back, a woman gave us $400," Couch said. "Tell me where you can make that in a day."
I believe this. Nearly every time I'm stopped at a light, I see someone hand over some cash (I think I've maybe seen a half dozen times someone hand over a more tangible item, like a bag of food and toiletries). I've often wondered how much a pan-handler makes, as I'm generally stopped at a light a few times a day, every day, each week, and see someone hand over cash.
People in BMWs and Lexuses won't look at you, the panhandlers say. People in beaters give the most.
I've also noticed this, and wondered about it. It seems illogical, but in some way, it makes sense. My reasoning is generally people in beaters know the value of a buck, can perhaps more empathize with a panhandler, and aren't as status conscious as perhaps say someone in a BMW. Just an idle theory while I'm waiting at a light, but interesting to note that my observations aren't contained solely to my stretch of four blocks.
Now, as for the concept of actually helping someone - I'm a Christian, and I believe in being generous to those in need. However, I don't give to panhandlers. It's something I wrestle with quite a bit (as I'm faced with it every day), but it's not something I'm comfortable doing. Sometimes I think to myself about making little "care packages" of simple food and toiletries, but in the end I don't. Laziness? Selfishness? Cowardice?
Perhaps.
But I also see so much need during the day with my job, and at night and weekends with my volunteer position in the church, that most of resources I have are going into those channels (and there's still so much need yet to fill!).
I'm just glad there are people who feel a strong tug on their hearts to reach out to the people on street corners.
13. hxcjf said the following at 11:27 AM on Jul 17:
I know a lot of pig farmers in Iowa who would pay well and can't find anyone to work for them. As long as those jobs are still open, I'm not giving a dime to any beggars. There are jobs if someone is willing to work.
14. obewan said the following at 11:58 AM on Jul 17:
#13. hxcjf said the following at 11:27 AM on Jul 17
I know a lot of pig farmers in Iowa who would pay well and can't find anyone to work for them. As long as those jobs are still open, I'm not giving a dime to any beggars. There are jobs if someone is willing to work.
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That is the age-old argument. And how are they supposed to get to Iowa with no money? Some unemployed homeless people do “hitch hike” to other cities (with “more” jobs) in search of employment and some of those people “beg” for money to buy food.
Not defending begging, but how are homeless people supposed to find employment with no car, no phone, and no home address?
And people always say they can just “flip burgers”. Well, in California where a cheap apartment costs $900 a month, $6 an hour is not going to cut it.
My sisters church in San Diego feeds 400 homeless people a week. Many reportedly have part-time jobs that pay minimum wage but are homeless since because they cannot afford the rent. I suppose they could buy their own food though, but some of them spend most of their earnings on medical problems.
But, you may be correct in suggesting that some people just give up and turn to begging since they find it easier than life in the "real world".
15. Marilyn said the following at 12:03 PM on Jul 17:
I have great difficulty wanting to help local panhandlers directly. As a church secretary, we had countless people coming to us for help, many of them were scammers.
One local charity with which we worked closely helped us mightily! They kept records on the people they helped, and knew who the scammers were. There were people moving up and down our valley making upwards of $80,000 a year tax-free from panhandling. Scamming is big business in my locality!
Whenever someone came to us, we would take a photocopy of their identification or get personal information from them, do a quick "background" check with our charity group, then decide if we could help.
I am one who will never help the guy (or gal) on the corner, but will point them to the mission that is two blocks from where they sit. The mission does not force people to listen to "lectures", they simply assess the reality of need and do what they can.
I do support that mission.
16. Mishy from SouthBayAreaCali said the following at 12:22 PM on Jul 17:
You know I think this is a good topic but to be honest I really have a hard time with panhandlers. In the city of Gilroy in the shopping center of my work, Target there have been like 2-3 people sitting on the corner with signs. At both stoplights which tend to be long they like to wait there. Its funny though most of them seem to wear really nice clothes not dirty and I half wonder in this economy maybe some people who have lost their jobs have gotten the bright idea to pan handle. I'm sorry with that I just dont' give a second thought. I've seen some of those people with families and they have lots of money, so in that case I always really want to be lead of the Lord to really help those, who are really in need. Its hard to know who is being real, and who is lying. Its not that I don't have compassion, again I just have a hard time knowing who's lying and who's being honest. I want to be lead by the Lord and not by feeling sorry for someone. Sometimes I wonder if some people just don't want to make an effort to get work. Even in this economy there are jobs, but sometimes people give up way to easily. Its not that I don't want to minister and reach out to the poor or homeless but you also have to have discernment with those situations too. I've been naive' way to many times and then see those same people with beer in their hands, and in a way we could be enabling these people and helping them in their addictions instead of trying to help them get away from those things. When I was younger my mom used to buy a sandwich or something instead of giving them money out right. Food is always a better thing for them. Anyway, thanks for this post boundless.
17. Cassandra said the following at 12:23 PM on Jul 17:
Churches go down to Skid Row in L.A. all the time to give the inhabitants food, care and blankets. A mission team from my church went down there recently to volunteer for Union Rescue Mission and they were instructed that the people on Skid Row are getting food and other items constantly, and it doesn't really help the people that live there. Union Rescue Mission and many other missions in the area focus on teaching the homeless life skills and "rehabilitating" them and preparing them to get a job and a home and re-enter the community. Hand-outs don't help people get back on their feet.
L.A. has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the country. But there are also many, many, many resources nearby (most of the time instituted by Christians) that focus on life skills and rehabilitation. But you have to be willing to commit to the program - you have to not want to be homeless anymore. Or, if you just need a meal or a bed, they have that too.
I would much rather donate my time and resources to one of these missions than give to an individual, as difficult as it is to pass them by on the street. The exception being food - I give food all the time. One thing I did recently is to purchase McDonalds gift certificates so I would have something to give people that panhandle me.
18. DEH said the following at 12:26 PM on Jul 17:
A few students from my college did an experiment once and stood on the nearby freeway off ramp corner (where you can almost always find a panhandler on any given day) and begged for money. They brought in about $26 per hour if I remember correctly. They said the jeers and disrespect made it not worth it, though.
One of my professors told the story of a working professional who begged at street corners so that he could make enough money to retire early. He was apparently raking in around $30,000 a year in his spare time, while maintaining his day job (as well as his daily latte).
My husband and I don't make a lot of money. Sometimes we live from pay check to pay check. While I want to help those less fortunate than we are, I hesitate to give money to people who likely have as much money (if not more) than we do. And when I see the same people week after week, month after month, standing at the same street corners, I become disheartened. I think this is the reason it may be better to contribute to a charity rather than give directly to a beggar, because the charity is better equipped to sort out who is truly needy and then to help them, since many of the truly needy have mental and/or drug problems that the average person is not trained to handle. It's like supporting missionaries, in my mind: If called, go, and if not, support those who do go.
I think we need to make the distinction between believers and unbelievers as well. While I don't think we should shut unbelievers out, I also don't think we have any business giving to unbelievers if we are not first taking care of our needy brothers and sisters. In the best case scenario, we would be doing both.
My personal goal is to treat these people more like human beings by acknowledging their presence with eye contact or a smile, which is something that I struggle with a great deal.
19. JuliaH said the following at 12:44 PM on Jul 17:
I do not understand why there are homeless people in the US and Canada. It seems to me that with all of the government programs (welfare, disability, housing programs, free training for poor people, free health care, etc.) that the only people begging on the streets are there because they want to be.
20. Ted Slater said the following at 12:48 PM on Jul 17:
Irene M. (#6) -- you wrote that "my personal philosophy is if someone asks me for money and I have cash then I always give it."
Focus on the Family has had to lay off over 20 percent of its staff over the past year, and Boundless has had to make significant budget cuts and postpone several projects we'd been working on. Please consider supporting our ministry to challenge and encourage young adults.
Just being light-hearted. Kinda. :-)
21. Laura said the following at 1:18 PM on Jul 17:
Looking to Solomon for Wisdom, Proverbs 31:6-7
"Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more."
So what if a homeless man buys beer?
Pushing the ideas here, maybe "Need beer. God bless." is actually biblical. A man keeps his honesty in an effort to assuage his pain.
Perhaps real sin is the ignorance of the verses 8-9, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly: defend the rights of the poor and needy."
22. FutureMrsLarijani said the following at 1:41 PM on Jul 17:
It's summer, I live in a tourist town, but I haven't been downtown much this summer.
Pan-handlers are common. My favorite is the "Poetry lady". She offers to recite a poem for a couple of dollars.
I have never taken her up on her offer, although I appreciate her offer to actually work to earn a buck.
I am a little reluctant to find out what a $2 poem sounds like . . .
23. Irene M. said the following at 2:25 PM on Jul 17:
Ted (#20),
Nooooooo. Why did I reveal my kryptonite?! Besides, what if the Boundless staff just uses my money to support their lazy ways, Protestant practices, or, worse, meat eating habits. ;-) After all, like Christ, I only want to give to the right kinds of people. Is there some sort of questionnaire you guys can fill out to make sure you're worthy and moral enough to receive Christian charity?
On a serious note, I actually disagree with a lot of the theology and politics endorsed by Focus on the Family, which is why I'm hesitating. For some reason, I feel more comfortable giving money to a random homeless person than an organization I disagree with (I guess we just have more in common). Is there someway that I could make my gift to a specific ministry within FotF? Are the Brown's still accepting donations through Lifesong?
24. Jo said the following at 2:38 PM on Jul 17:
Adrian Plass (fantastic English Christian author/speaker) tells a story about how one day he gave a £10 note to a homeless man. A friend who was with him said "You know he'll just buy a drink with that." Adrian answered, "Good, that's probably what I would have done with it as well."
I think sometimes we think too much. Not that thinking is bad, but we can talk ourselves out of anything with the most sensible arguments. I do wonder if all this rationalising can all too easily lead us to dismiss what might be the Holy Spirit's promptings, without even realising it. Sometimes maybe it's wonderful just to give, and not worry about it.
Personally, I've never given money to a homeless person, but I kinda want to sometimes and I don't because of all these issues. Maybe that's a problem?
25. Tamara (from Canada) said the following at 3:25 PM on Jul 17:
@ #19 JuliaH:
Yes, there are programs to help people avaiod homeless, but, in Canada at least, the vast majority of welfare/disability programs don't even provide enough to pay rent in a smaller, older apartment. If it's not enough to even keep a roof over their heads, then they're going to be homeless. I realize that there are always people who abuse these systems, which is possibly a reason why they don't give them a lot of money, but I also know that there are people who legitimately need more help and can't get it because these programs don't provide enough.
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As for panhandlers on the street, I used to be able to walk past them without a second thought as I saw them as little more than people looking for a hand out. Then I was offered and took a job at the rescue mission in my city. It took only the first few weeks on the job for just walking past them to become impossible. I had heard too many stories of people who do this who have a legitimate need for help and don't know where else to turn.
Are there people who panhandle who have a job and are doing it just for the extra "tax-free" income? Sure. But, there are also those who really are just looking for the few dollars needed to get a meal or a coffee. And I don't know that it is right to treat those in legitimate need with contempt just because some people abuse that help for their own personal gain.
Do I give money to every panhandler I walk/drive past each day? No, my response depends on the situation - I may give them some money, I may take them to a coffee shop or store nearby and purchase something for them, or I may point them to the services that are available to help them (ie. food bank, rescue mission, soup kitchen, etc.)
To determine what the situation is means that it requires a few moments of my time to actually talk to the person. In just a few minutes of conversation, you can learn a lot about the person. Doing this, not only have you helped them in some way, you have also acknowledged them as a person with value and deserving of respect, which may do more for them than any money or food you could give them. Panhandlers/homeless are so used to being treated as worthless by people that they may not know how to respond when you do actually take some time to treat them as valuable. But, if enough people take the time to do that, it can make a huge difference for them.
I think that is the biggest thing for me with panhandlers/homeless . . . the absolutely awful way people treat them. No matter what their lifestyle is, and no matter whether you approve of it or not, they are still people and they do deserve the basic respect that we give all people. Being homeless does not make them any less human!
I mean, really people, if we were to go to a third world country, most of us would never dream of treating the poor/homeless there they way we treat the poor/homeless in our own backyards. Why the difference? THere shouldn't be one!
26. Nate said the following at 8:07 PM on Jul 17:
Irene (#23):
By "Mormon background" do you mean you're currently Mormon or you left Mormonism?
If it's the former, then of COURSE you'd disagree with FotF's theology! :)
27. Tehilah said the following at 3:35 AM on Jul 18:
I've been struggling with this subject for over a year now.
I frequently travel to Jerusalem and the number of beggars there is steadily growing. They seem to fall into several groups.
Some shake an empty plastic box while smoking a cigarette and eying the girls - these, I admit, I ignore in disgust. Another type is the man who regularly sits in the breezeway outside my office. I struck up a conversation with him several times. He regularly complains about being homeless for 14 years, yet when I offer him food or society he refuses it. Now when I see him I say hello and smile, but I no longer give him money or attempt to engage him in conversation.
The last type is like the old man in a wheelchair who blocks the walkway right by the bus-stop. He is obviously mentally impaired, his eyes don't track, his beard is often spotted with drool, and he shouts at passers-by. Though he has the ubiquitous cup attached to his chair tray, he is much more interested in engaging passers-by in some kind of interaction. I smile when I see him, knowing we will both have the opportunity to connect today. After all, we all live in a world alienated by "otherness".
I agree with the readers who say that we are not called to judge the motives or the actions of those we help. How many times have I been disappointed to find that those whom I helped used the money for things I found unworthy? But then, how many times have I used money I received for things that may seem unworthy to others? I think, in the end, God is not concerned with how much or how frequently we give - but with how tightly we hold on to our financial independence.
If we can acknowledge freely, as Solomon and the people of Israel did in 2 Chronicles 29:14 that all we have is a gift from above, then many of our dilemmas about how to spend that money wisely will disappear. We can take God's example of giving to the unworthy and apply it to those we meet daily - sometimes by giving them spare change, other times by stopping to offer them human kindness or even healing.
Jesus himself said "The poor will always be among you". He doesn't promise that we will ever solve the problem of poverty or homelessness, for me the challenge is to engage the idea head-on with God's grace.
The other day I saw a street musician who I regularly greet put money into a donation box for the less-worthy. I felt as though I had just witnessed the widow giving her mite. I was so blessed. That one small act rekindled my desire to give without keeping account.
28. Tehilah said the following at 4:00 AM on Jul 18:
By the way, if you value this website and its content is helping you grow spiritually and emotionally - as it has for me - even if you don't agree 100 percent with Focus, I believe it is our privilege and our duty to support the site.
I challenge you to do so.
29. Heidi said the following at 5:47 AM on Jul 18:
"I mean, really people, if we were to go to a third world country, most of us would never dream of treating the poor/homeless there they way we treat the poor/homeless in our own backyards. Why the difference? THere shouldn't be one!"
Having spent several years out in a remote area of a third world country I can assure you that it's just as unwise to freely hand out money, clothing, blankets, and other such things to every poor person around over there as it is here. Over there "whiteman" is universally considered rich, so every single person is trying to con you, steal from you, or beg from you. You learn to draw a line, or the consequences could be dire.
I recall reading an article in World magazine some time ago detailing how the people group Jim Elliot died bringing the Gospel to now generally consider westernized riches to be their great salvation rather than Jesus Christ. By giving them material goods a stumbling block was firmly placed in their paths and they have tripped over it right on schedule. My heart breaks for them and I am truly upset when I hear of missionaries or other well-meaning people changing the material culture so drastically, especially in a remote place.
Discernment is needed in every case. Laura (#21) is right on with those verses, but then again there's also 2 Thesalonians 3:10: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." Now, certainly that's different for those who are unable to work, or if there are no jobs available. But is the church responsible for helping those who could work, yet blatantly choose not to?
My family tends to give away food we have with us in the car to someone who is begging, though I have to admit it's difficult at times to watch the person walk away and nonchalantly toss that food in the garbage can. I know, I know, some people are truly in needs and would never think of doing that. It's just difficult to realize that our gift has been literally trashed.
Kind of reminds me of Jesus' sacrifice being rejected.
30. Sara said the following at 1:34 PM on Jul 18:
Great Article! I now live in a very poor neighborhood as a University student, and I have had to deal with this issue myself. When I lived in a wealthy neighborhood I always thought people were wrong by not giving change... after all, whats a dollar here or there if they really need it?
What I have learned is that most do not really need it, and those who do will go to a charity. After all, where I live people in wheelchairs receive more money and benefits from the government than my husband earns working a full-time job. That said, I try to always be friendly and answer them if they ask for change with a kind, "No, I am sorry but I can't" rather than ignoring them.
31. Anonymous said the following at 5:04 PM on Jul 18:
Tamara wrote: "Then I was offered and took a job at the rescue mission in my city. It took only the first few weeks on the job for just walking past them to become impossible."
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I do think that putting ourselves in environments/ministries where we encounter marginalized groups can help create sensitivity and empathy. I used to be involved in a ministry that reaches out to the poor. I think this ministry changed me a bit in making me a bit more open-eyed and sensitive. Perhaps this happens to people who go on short-term mission trips as well.
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One thing people can do: create bags of toiletries and verses. My husband has traveled a ton and has accumulated a ton of toiletries. Awhile back, I put several of these toiletries into plastic baggies, along with a piece of papers with verses written on them. Recently I dropped many of these off at my old church's food pantry, but I kept some behind that I want me or my husband or whoever to give out personally. So far I've only given one out personally.
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32. Sara said the following at 6:33 PM on Jul 18:
#25 - "Yes, there are programs to help people avaiod homeless, but, in Canada at least, the vast majority of welfare/disability programs don't even provide enough to pay rent in a smaller, older apartment."
In Alberta, the people I know on AISH receive enough for a nicer apartment than I can afford, free bus pass, groceries, and a little extra. They are living in luxery compared to me! Up until the recession, there were homeless people in my area who earned over $3000 a month panhandling... and still lived in tent-city. We earn much less than that per month, but still can afford cable, a one bedroom apartment and food.
33. brx said the following at 1:58 AM on Jul 19:
Re: Irene M. [#23];
"I actually disagree with a lot of the theology and politics endorsed by Focus on the Family, which is why I'm hesitating. For some reason, I feel more comfortable giving money to a random homeless person than an organization I disagree with"
I wonder, is it because it's easier to assume or tell yourself that you are doing good without exercising much discernment than to be sure of what you are supporting by digging a little deeper? I wonder if perhaps you've been fooled many times into supporting or enabling many deceptive panhandlers' practices while being mislead into not supporting positive and effective ministry because of shallow surface perceptions?
Matt Kaufman's post reminds me of the difficulty of applying a little due diligence and making God-honoring decisions when we're put in charge of God's benevolence resources.
Grace, peace & discernment
...we will be asked to give an account and "I didn't want to ask the obvious question" will not be an acceptable excuse.
34. brx said the following at 2:09 AM on Jul 19:
Re: JuliaH [#19];
A large portion of actual homeless people do suffer from debilitating mental illness and have been uncooperative with available treatments/therapies. They have not committed any significant crimes for which they can be forced to receive tax-payer funded treatment and there is no other current law under which they can be forced to receive tax-payer funded treatment against their will.
So, that's one portion...
Grace, peace & prayer for the movement of the Spirit in their lives.
35. Ariana said the following at 1:08 PM on Jul 19:
In general, I think that questioning the motives of clearly homeless people asking for change is the wrong attitude to have.
However, this post reminds me of an experience I had. A man walked up to me and asked if I had any money to spare. I asked him if I could get him some food or something. He said no, he just wanted to buy cigarettes. I declined to give him anything.
Something I've started to encounter that I consider more weird is people who aren't homeless but who are just short money asking for something. Like older women asking for bus fare, kids standing outside the gas station asking for change so they can go get a soda, etc. Not in dire need, but still panhandling. I don't get it.
36. NathanaelN said the following at 8:44 AM on Jul 20:
This is such a hard issue for me. It has been on my mind a great deal lately.
I tend to overthink the issue so much that I wonder if it is just an excuse to keep from doing something, anything at all. I think that part of it is that I have the US results-driven mentality. I do not want to do something good if I think that I am just going to get scammed.
I am in favor of helping the missions that provide more than handouts. Savannah, GA has a good one that runs a night shelter and a long-term rehab/Bible school program. I am in the process of becoming more involved there.
I am often tore between being insensitive (they are homeless because they choose to stay there) and wondering what effective and compassionate thing I can do (how would Jesus really relate to a sinful, broken, and hurting person).
My younger brother and sister have been homeless off and on for about ten years. I do not see them often (6 hours away), but I think about them often. If you were to see them, I am not sure how I would want you to help them. They have people who care about them, but they are addicted to drugs and seem to be totally blind to their incredible need.
I have no answers and lots of questions, but maybe that is where God can show me what I can do to help, no matter how small the results seem to be.
37. Tamara (from Canada) said the following at 3:03 PM on Jul 20:
Heidi (#29) said:
Having spent several years out in a remote area of a third world country I can assure you that it's just as unwise to freely hand out money, clothing, blankets, and other such things to every poor person around over there as it is here. Over there "whiteman" is universally considered rich, so every single person is trying to con you, steal from you, or beg from you. You learn to draw a line, or the consequences could be dire.
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I wasn't necessarily talking about just giving stuff out freely, but more about the attitude we tend to have. I know people who would look at a poor person in a third world country with love and concern, whether they could help or not. But, when it comes to a poor/homeless person in their own hometown the response is one of disgust/contempt.
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@Sara (#32):
Maybe I should have been more specific . . . in British Columbia, there are very few, if any places, that someone on welfare/disability would be able to afford. The cost of rent of a one bedroom apartment in an old building is more than the total amount of the cheque for everything for the entire month.
As for panhandling and the money to be made, I will say I don't live in a huge city, but I do live in a city, and the panhandlers I know are lucky to make $10 a day in this city. Maybe in other cities they can make more, but speaking from experience in my life, that is not possible here.
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NathanaelN (#36) says:
I am often tore between being insensitive (they are homeless because they choose to stay there) and wondering what effective and compassionate thing I can do (how would Jesus really relate to a sinful, broken, and hurting person).
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Yes, there are homeless that are there because they choose to stay there. But, there are also significant number os homeless who have mental illness that prevents them making the decision on their own to not be homeless. The medication that made it possible to function in the past may have stopped working, or the place where they were living with the appropriate supports in place may have closed. For these people, they are not homeless because they choose to be. We must be careful not to make a blanket statement that all homeless are there by choice. There are those for whom it is not a choice.
38. Zusanne said the following at 3:10 PM on Jul 20:
I face this situation at EVERY red light in my home town. We have people asking for money wearing vests that say "homeless but working."
Walking up and down through rows of cars isn't exactly my definition of "work."
Also, I see this at the local hardware stores, too, where men (apparently not in the US legally) stand all day every day, waiting for someone to hire them. They're not smoking, listening to music on their headphones, eating snacks like the people at the stop lights; they're just waiting to work. Physical, often demanding, work.
I don't know their stories, why they're there--any of them.
I've chosen to donate time and money to both my church as well as a Christian organization that acts as a food bank/medical clinic/after-school resource center/half-way house. I know that God's love and compassion are being expressed through the generosity of His people--and that the time and money He's laid on our hearts to share--are being used in ways that share His Word and honor Him.
The need continues to grow . . .
39. Loris said the following at 8:38 AM on Jul 21:
There is a fine line between being compassionate and being enabling. Unfortunately, my year as a church secretary has hardened my attitude toward panhandlers and homeless. Homeless people urinated in the historic sanctuary and had sex on the side porch in broad daylight. One mentally ill man attacked my predecessor and another routinely raved on the sidewalk in front of the church, throwing air punches. When I directed food and money seekers to the shelters the church supported, many became verbally abusive. From what I saw, those who were in their right mind would not accept help, and the mentally ill could not, and the police had no means to compel them to.
40. NathanaelN said the following at 11:21 AM on Jul 21:
Tamara(#37) says:
But, there are also significant number os homeless who have mental illness that prevents them making the decision on their own to not be homeless.
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I agree. My younger brother, who has been on the streets often, was diagnosed with a mental illness when he was 18 years old. He goes from the streets to jail or a mental facility where he is stablized. Once he is released, he decides to stop taking the meds and goes off the deep end before long. Though I am not an expert on it, I would welcome something like Kendra's Law that could be used to force my brother and other homeless people to receive treatment. My divorced mom has provided shelter for my brother at times, but he can be very dangerous if not on meds.
I understand that not everyone will agree with this idea. Please feel free to provide feedback.
41. John P. said the following at 7:47 AM on Jul 22:
Sara #32: The maximum AISH assistance allowable is $1,188 per month (Canadian). That's not quite the steal you're making it out to be. How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Calgary again? Severely handicapped people eking out a living on government assistance do not 'live in luxury'.
42. Irene M. said the following at 3:18 PM on Jul 23:
brx [#33],
That's a good point. I'll have to consider it. To clarify, I don't have a problem with individuals deciding to only give to organizations, but I've been disappointed by the overall "Christian" attitude towards panhandlers in my area.
Nate [#26],
Former by choice (praise God). Sorry about that, I should have been more explicit. Although, for all its many theological faults, LDS (not FLDS) culture is incredibly supportive of the traditional, heterosexual family. If I were still practicing, I probably would give to Fotf.
43. R Murray said the following at 8:17 PM on Oct 14:
Nice article. But I don't feel convicted about my thoughts and opinions on this matter and I wonder if I should. I had an uncle die a skidrow bum. I watched as he manipulated my grandparents for 30 years. My father offered him room and board as long as he would refrain from alcohol. He always chose his lifestyle over what he knew to right. My father showing tough love towards his brother may not have worked but I feel it is the only chance these kinds of people have at making it. Certainly the Holy Spirit can do a work whenever, wherever. But in a pure human outlook I think those folks that aid and comfort this behavior only add to their addictions and send these people to an early grave. My uncle died at age 60 in his own vomit. 2 Thes states "He who does not work shall not eat" I think God understood that there would be people who might try to take advantage of the labors of others. Being poor is not a crime or a sin but swindling people of the labors and not working to each's own ability is. We can't confuse the "poor" with these charlatans. This is a slap to the widow and the orphan and the less fortunate. I think you must certainly not shun these panhandlers but engage them in discusions about their behavior. Dicernment is key but common sense and a brain will let you keep your money to help those will use it wisely.