Beggers on the street

[NothingIsImpossible]

Hard topic really. It's not like we must help every person we pass by. But we do have to be careful not to feed someones addiction. Problem is you can never know what someone will do with what you give them. Its kind of why you have to leave it in Gods hand.

Also when it comes to homeless people its best not to give them money. But them a meal or clothes... something alone those lines. This way you know what you give isn't being used towards something else.

 

[sunshine100]

I think it's better to give them food or clothing. When you give money you are often just feeding an addiction of some sort. Give money to organizations that are trying to help.

I agree

 

[MissH84]

Thank you all for your replies. I got some good advice and things to think about

 

[carp614]

I have given money and food to people in the past. I will most likely do it again. I personally don't think it matters what the person does with what is given. That is up to them. What is in my heart, that is up to me, and I want it to be pleasing to God, so I give when I feel drawn to do so.

That giving is nothing compared to what I give in terms of time and money to the church and other volunteerism. I have tried to make giving an integral part of everything I do in this world. With a few exceptions, if what I am engaged in is not directly helping someone else I work to remove it from my life. Because I am not who I once was. God Saved me and he is trying to change me into what he meant me to be from before my beginning.

Sorry if this sounds a bit preachy. I'm not sure how else to describe what I think about this. God Bless!

 

[SpiritSong]

We will give to those who are obviously handicapped, elderly, or a veteran.

We, typically, don't give to those who it appears could earn their own living ...

This rules out the mentally ill. A person with schizophrenia, for instance, really cannot work. You would not know they have it by looking at them. I know this because we have one who lives in our building. She is totally incapable of working. Her mind is very scattered, beyond ability to concentrate. She often misses the transit buses that come here to pick her up to take her to the grocery. She lives on Disability and I think she might get food stamps, but she is dirt poor as it is. She has no one that comes to see her or help her. She is in her 30s and totally on her own. So, yes, she is not homeless, but she is just about so and would not have a home, were it not for our government helping her out just a little with just barely enough. I have never seen her begging, but I am trying to give you a picture of someone that is incapable of working, but would not appear to be so at first glance.

My thought on this, and I have been homeless before, and yes, I am mentally ill, is that one should let God decide who is "capable of working" and who is not. Let the Spirit guide you as to who you should help and who you should not help. Look in their eyes. These are the windows to the soul. You will be able to tell if they have an addiction or not, if you look closely.

 

[A_Thinker]

This rules out the mentally ill. A person with schizophrenia, for instance, really cannot work. You would not know they have it by looking at them. I know this because we have one who lives in our building. She is totally incapable of working. Her mind is very scattered, beyond ability to concentrate. She often misses the transit buses that come here to pick her up to take her to the grocery. She lives on Disability and I think she might get food stamps, but she is dirt poor as it is. She has no one that comes to see her or help her. She is in her 30s and totally on her own. So, yes, she is not homeless, but she is just about so and would not have a home, were it not for our government helping her out just a little with just barely enough. I have never seen her begging, but I am trying to give you a picture of someone that is incapable of working, but would not appear to be so at first glance.

My thought on this, and I have been homeless before, and yes, I am mentally ill, is that one should let God decide who is "capable of working" and who is not. Let the Spirit guide you as to who you should help and who you should not help. Look in their eyes. These are the windows to the soul. You will be able to tell if they have an addiction or not, if you look closely.

You make a good point.

I used to manage the Outreach ministry at my church which would gift those who came to the church with physical needs.

Many of those we served were, actually, incapable of making their own way, ... but you couldn't have told that by looking at them. The challenges of many don't appear unless you actually talk and counsel with them.

We should let God be our guide.

Thank-you for your contribution of the Spirit of Christ to this discussion ... and God bless you ...

A_Thinker