Do you give to the homeless?

[LongWar]

I have given to people begging in the past, but don't anymore. The last panhandler we gave to, my wife handed her $10 on the way out of a walmart. Moments later while loading groceries, we saw the "down-on-her-luck" lady walk to a late-model mercedes and drive away. Another time I gave $15 to a guy holding an "Afghanistan and Iraq Marine" sign. I am as well, so I tried to strike up a short conversation while waiting for the light to turn. I asked him who he was with and he muttered something about an army unit and that he couldn't talk about it. I've had enough of those experiences over the years that I would rather give to a charity that is accountable to the IRS.

As much as I can, I give to organizations that work overseas where the "real" poverty is. In America, there is a church on every corner and every panhandler has an iPhone 12.

 

[gjensen]

Yes and no.

Over time I have gotten pretty good at sorting out who is who. I came up on that side of the street, so to speak. This is something I have been around all of my life.

I could share a few success stories. Do not count all of them out. God is calling His from this side of the street too.

Many of them are there by choice. The hustle up enough to buy their drink and drugs. They do not want the stress of being responsible for rent etc. They want the freedom to come and go. A buzz and sex are their primary concerns.

Running commercial projects, I would hire them through temporary labor companies. Often being treated like someone, they would show real promise for a time. Unfortunately, more often than not, you will run into what keeps them where they are.

Some simply need help. Their drug addictions are overpowering. Many of them have mental illnesses, and often the drugs is self medication. We should be concerned for these. Shame on us if we are not.

A fair number of them are scammers and hustlers. It takes some experience to spot them quickly. They all have a story.

Many professing Christians talk themselves out of dealing with any of these. Reaching some of these with the Gospel requires rolling up our sleeves and going to work. We are going to get our hands dirty, and we are going to get bit. That is part of it.

 

[Pergamum]

About drug addicts and homelessness:

We must also keep in mind that many "success stories" from drug addiction have often also relapsed several times before they were able to come clean long-term.

Sometimes we seem to expect a sudden healing and then no more trials or temptations ever again. But it is more like a process of stumbling forward, sliding back, crawling forward, falling on your face, and then finally standing (only to repeat several times) before one finally gets one free from this quagmire of drugs.

We housed a young man in our basement for 6 months and he relapsed, and then again due to the shame or despair, but now has been clean for 2 years and is helping sponsor/advise others to come out of addiction.

This is a cause for us to be patient and not write people off. Their story is not done yet. Many "recovered" addicts will speak with deep gratefulness about those who stuck by them when they were at their worst.

If we give up on somebody entirely and totally then we play God by being their final judge. Their judgment has not yet come and while there is life there is still hope.

Though we may have to distance ourselves or even cut off some people for a time if there is danger to ourselves or family, we should help as much as possible. Sometimes cutting them off is necessary. But love means taking risks, and being willing to step back in is usually appropriate.

In the very least this may mean food or blankets or clothes or trying to procure them a shelter at night. In some cases (though not all), this could mean meals at your home or housing at your home.

The young man removed himself from our home before we asked because he knew our house rules were no booze or drugs in the home for him.

I have heard many Reformed churches talk about homeless shelter ministries being a "waste of time" and only engaging them to preach at, but several have advised not to get "sucked into" supplying any of the material needs, for "it is just a black hole of need."

I have also heard others state, "They don't need free soup..they need the Word of God..."

Well....they probably need BOTH.

Compassion is very Biblical and we ought to exercise it lavishly.

Sometimes we want to place ourselves as those who would punish them for their foolish mistakes. "Let them get what's coming to them," I heard one brother say about homeless drug addicts. But....none of us want people to get what's coming to them, for we all deserve hell. A lifetime of being "fooled" into giving to the "unworthy poor" is worth it if, by our efforts, there is even one who is preserved in life and health and saved.