How should we handle beggars?

[Dropship]

Jesus said "Give to the one who begs from you.." (Matthew 5:42 ESV)
but did he mean that literally?
They sit on the pavement (usually near cash machines) asking for handouts, but why can't they manage on their welfare payments?
And most look like druggies or drunks anyway, so how do we know if they'll spend our handouts on that stuff?
Personally I tend to cross the street to avoid them, but now and again I give them a few bob if they look halfway genuine.
For example a young beggar asked for a handout and showed me a red mark round his neck and said "I got this when I tried to hang myself but the rope broke", so I felt sorry for him and gave him some cash.
Later I wondered if it was a good idea because he might have gone out and bought a thicker rope..;)

 

[ScottA]

Jesus said "Give to the one who begs from you.." (Matthew 5:42 ESV)
but did he mean that literally?
They sit on the pavement (usually near cash machines) asking for handouts, but why can't they manage on their welfare payments?
And most look like druggies or drunks anyway, so how do we know if they'll spend our handouts on that stuff?
Personally I tend to cross the street to avoid them, but now and again I give them a few bob if they look halfway genuine.
For example a young beggar asked for a handout and showed me a red mark round his neck and said "I got this when I tried to hang myself but the rope broke", so I felt sorry for him and gave him some cash.
Later I wondered if it was a good idea because he might have gone out and bought a thicker rope..;)

Yeah, Jesus didn't say enable evil doers.

 

[Rita]

Druggies and drunks are people who are living in their own hells, who knows how or why they are where they are today. I do not like the professional beggars who are literally acting at being on the streets. I feel sorry for those who are on the streets because life took a bad turn and usually over time you can tell which ones are which. …….
I have given money at times , before covid there was a few that you just knew were genuine.
We have quite a few homeless people, thankfully there are many charities and churches that support them with food, clothes ect.
Rita

 

[quietthinker]

Jesus said "Give to the one who begs from you.." (Matthew 5:42 ESV)
but did he mean that literally?
They sit on the pavement (usually near cash machines) asking for handouts, but why can't they manage on their welfare payments?
And most look like druggies or drunks anyway, so how do we know if they'll spend our handouts on that stuff?
Personally I tend to cross the street to avoid them, but now and again I give them a few bob if they look halfway genuine.
For example a young beggar asked for a handout and showed me a red mark round his neck and said "I got this when I tried to hang myself but the rope broke", so I felt sorry for him and gave him some cash.
Later I wondered if it was a good idea because he might have gone out and bought a thicker rope..;)

Avoidance is what the two pious men practised when they stumbled across a man robbed and beaten in Jesus' story: Luke 10:29-37
'......but he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Do we really need to be told what to do when confronted with the needy.

 

[JohnPaul]

I always give when asked, I'd rather give to the person on the street in need than to some charity, who the needy will not get 100% of what you gave them but only a small percentage, at least I know the person on the street gets all of it.

 

[Ancient]

Yes it can be an issue as stated in a previous post there are deceptive people out there posing as homeless, also many charities rip people off, as most of the $$$ get absorbed in admin costs. One needs to be discerning and ask the Holy Spirit. It was also mentioned previously that if they are addicted to drugs or alcohol etc., one does not want to enable that so maybe a better approach would be instead of giving money buy the food and give to them instead. It is good to be generous and give no doubt. In many countries there are welfare systems and I know in Australia it is quite good which is why we have had issues in the past with refugees but most were regarded as economic refugees and wanted to come here for the welfare $$$. Needs to be noted that there was no welfare system in the days of Yeshua. However the Torah provided for such as one of the tithes every 3rd year was to be given to the widows, fatherless and strangers in the storehouses which is what Malachi 3 is all about. Also the Torah instructed at harvest time not to harvest the corners of the fields or all the fruit of the trees so the afore mentioned could glean. This is also the story of Ruth in the Book of Ruth.

NKJ Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.

This is a promise of Yahweh

Shalom friends

 

[Pearl]

People I know who work with homeless charities always say not to give cash but find out what they need and buy them a drink or a sandwich or some socks etc.

 

[Pathfinder7]

I used to give/get..burgers & pizza for homeless.
---
I learned..why they became homeless.
- Some of them had..legal & family issues.

 

[Nancy]

Druggies and drunks are people who are living in their own hells, who knows how or why they are where they are today. I do not like the professional beggars who are literally acting at being on the streets. I feel sorry for those who are on the streets because life took a bad turn and usually over time you can tell which ones are which. …….
I have given money at times , before covid there was a few that you just knew were genuine.
We have quite a few homeless people, thankfully there are many charities and churches that support them with food, clothes ect.
Rita

You are right Rita, same around here. The other day there was a woman from the Ukraine, dressed as them and her accent was right on, I worked with a woman from the Ukraine for years...loved her so, I found her to be genuine. I've pointed many to the Genesis Center or one of the many food pantries and soup kitchen meals. They have more than food for the belly...prayer, spiritual guidance and bus tokens! Many have no clue how t sign up for welfare or anything for that matter. Yes, alcoholics and users. What or who got them to that place I wonder lot's. We have to go through Narcan classes each year.

 

[Pearl]

You are right Rita, same around here. The other day there was a woman from the Ukraine, dressed as them and her accent was right on, I worked with a woman from the Ukraine for years...loved her so, I found her to be genuine. I've pointed many to the Genesis Center or one of the many food pantries and soup kitchen meals. They have more than food for the belly...prayer, spiritual guidance and bus tokens! Many have no clue how t sign up for welfare or anything for that matter. Yes, alcoholics and users. What or who got them to that place I wonder lot's. We have to go through Narcan classes each year.

There used to be a guy in our town who sat with a 'homeless' card around his neck - he lived in our road.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

Jesus said "Give to the one who begs from you.." (Matthew 5:42 ESV)
but did he mean that literally?

Yes.

And most look like druggies or drunks anyway, so how do we know if they'll spend our handouts on that stuff?

God distributes to all, evil and good; do likewise:

“…he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

 

[Nancy]

There used to be a guy in our town who sat with a 'homeless' card around his neck - he lived in our road.

Do you know where he slept at night?

 

[Dropship]

I was briefly homeless myself when I was released from prison in 2002 after a 3-month vigilante rap, living rough in a tent in a wood near Cheltenham shivering with an underactive thyroid but my sense of humour was intact. "Oh great" I thought, "I've ended up as Bigfoot"
I was near-penniless and jobless to boot, but never went around begging cash from anybody, and I soon got out and up, no problemo.
So if I can do it anybody with half a brain cell can..:)
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of selfdiscipline" (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

[Michiah-Imla]

So if I can do it anybody can.

Some are weaker among us.

We who are strong aught to bear them.

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” (Romans 15:1-3)

“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.” (Ezekiel 34:20-22)

 

[Raccoon1010]

Jesus said "Give to the one who begs from you.." (Matthew 5:42 ESV)
but did he mean that literally?
They sit on the pavement (usually near cash machines) asking for handouts, but why can't they manage on their welfare payments?
And most look like druggies or drunks anyway, so how do we know if they'll spend our handouts on that stuff?
Personally I tend to cross the street to avoid them, but now and again I give them a few bob if they look halfway genuine.
For example a young beggar asked for a handout and showed me a red mark round his neck and said "I got this when I tried to hang myself but the rope broke", so I felt sorry for him and gave him some cash.
Later I wondered if it was a good idea because he might have gone out and bought a thicker rope..;)

It's right of you to wonder in this day and age.

What I have found is that about one quarter of the homeless are mentally ill and can't work. They and the other homeless often use drugs or drink alcohol to escape the harsh conditions and lack of comfort from being homeless. When the federal government shut down the mental wards, the states were supposed to take over and they do a poor job of handling it.

How many of them were drunks and drug addicts and became homeless as a result? And how many homeless are homeless because of unfortunate circumstances?

https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/nchav/r...buse/Substance-Abuse-and-Homelessness-508.pdf
"Many people stereotype the homeless population as all alcoholics or drug abusers. Although a high percentage of homeless people do struggle with
substance abuse, addictions should be viewed as illnesses and require treatment, counseling and support to overcome. Substance abuse can cause homelessness, but it often arises after people lose their housing."

 

[Dropship]

...a man robbed and beaten in Jesus' story: Luke 10:29-37..

Yes most of us would gladly help people in that situation, but the vast majority of beggars aren't in such dire straits..:)

 

[Mantis]

If you feel the unction to give to the poor please do. What they do with it is in their hands. If they decide to take the blessing God gave them to buy heroin then they just curse themselves. The reward is still to you regardless.

 

[Dropship]

Some are weaker among us.
We who are strong aught to bear them...

Our governments already look after them via welfare payments and homeless hostels etc, so there's no real excuse for anybody to beg anyway.
Some are just cheeky street beggars getting a kick out of taking us for mugs..:)

 

[Michiah-Imla]

Some are just cheeky street beggars getting a kick out of taking us for mugs..

If this much leeway is afforded to a robber, how much more a conman using non violence?

“And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.” (Luke 6:29)

 

[Raccoon1010]

Our governments already look after them via welfare payments and homeless hostels etc, so there's no real excuse for anybody to beg anyway.
Some are just cheeky street beggars getting a kick out of taking us for mugs..:)

Is that how it works? What I found in the USA is that in order to take advantage of the poor person help from the government you need regular appointments with the office they work in and a residence to get the notifications they send you.

Here in the USA they help poor people that are housed. And they will provide some housing for the poor for a short period of time. If you can get to their office and keep appointments.