Does Jesus really call Christians to help EVERYONE?

[rwillenborg]

I thought about it this morning, as the seventh homeless man I passed asked me for money. Certainly I am never rude or cold to anyone. It’s simply not in my nature, but I’ve lived in Detroit long enough to know - you NEVER open your wallet.
Ever.
But I think, after reading the story of the good samaritan, that that is EXACTLY what Jesus is calling me to do.

I don’t think that would be very smart of me, though.

How can I reconcile that?

I know these men, I know their names, and, to an extent, I know their habits. for some of them, I have seen them daily for years. For others, I have given them food in the soup kitchen line before. But I am never giving them cash. They are addicts, drunks, and mentally disturbed (or all of the above). In the first two cases, I know my money will be spent on things which ultimatley aren’t good for them, and in the third case, they are far beyong any assistance I could give (and frankly, terrify me. When a large man with crazy eyes starts yelling at you saying ‘You are NOT MY MOTHER!’ you tend to just run…fast).

But, am I called to, in fact, help them in a real, direct and personal way? I donate to the local food banks and soup kitchens, and I volunteer my time as well, but I think Jesus did more than that. Am I called to do the same? How do I do that, when I have genuine concerns for my safety and genuine concerns that I might in fact just be helping a person fall farther away from the life they could be leading?

PS - I don’t give any of these guys any information on the local shelters. They all know where they are.

PSS - Besides, if I gave $1 every time I passed a homeless, I would lose about $20 a day. That money is already spoken for - by my bills, my family, and yes, even by me (a girl’s gotta get a treat every now and again), so do I have a responsibility to bankrupt myself helping them? I think that’s what Jesus would do. How can I reconcile wanting to keep my money for myself and my family and my concerns for personal safety with the chrisian idea of loving until it hurts?

 

[m8g8]

One of my old R.E teachers was talking about this issues. She said that if you think that a poor person is going to waste the money you give them on alcohol etc, you should just buy them a sandwich or something.

 

[rwillenborg]

One of my old R.E teachers was talking about this issues. She said that if you think that a poor person is going to waste the money you give them on alcohol etc, you should just buy them a sandwich or something.

But that would mean that I buy alot of sandwiches. Alot. I pass at least half a dozen homeless people each time I leave any building. I would say it would come to easily at least 18 sandwiches a day. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect someone to make and distribute 18 sandwiches a day, especially in light of the fact that I know full well the soup kitchen down the block serves up quite tasty hot meals three times a day.

But, is that really what I am called to do?
(I hope my question doesn’t sound snotty…I’m really just trying to think of how I could apply the answer in a real, tangible way in my every day life, and when I do that, all of these other questions pop into my head!! )

 

[portarica]

But that would mean that I buy alot of sandwiches. Alot. I pass at least half a dozen homeless people each time I leave any building. I would say it would come to easily at least 18 sandwiches a day. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect someone to make and distribute 18 sandwiches a day, especially in light of the fact that I know full well the soup kitchen down the block serves up quite tasty hot meals three times a day.

But, is that really what I am called to do?
(I hope my question doesn’t sound snotty…I’m really just trying to think of how I could apply the answer in a real, tangible way in my every day life, and when I do that, all of these other questions pop into my head!! )

We are called to rationalize Jesus’ teachings down to size that we can handle. Imagine if we had to implement His teachings into everyone of our actions. He wasn’t really asking us to do what He taught, He just wanted us to say we believe in what He taught.

Peace

 

[ttk5972]

He wasn’t really asking us to do what He taught, He just wanted us to say we believe in what He taught.

I disagree. I think that is exactly what He was asking us to do. Does that mean we will succeed every day? NO! But if we stop trying, eventually we’ll give up. Should you give sandwiches or money to every homeless person that asks? Only if that is possible for you. If not, give what you can. It sounds like you already do, much more than I do for sure. I would suggest praying for each of the homeless people that you pass and asking God to let you know if He wants you to do more. Do you think you would give as much as you do or work at the soup kitchen as often as you do if you did not see so many of these people every day? Maybe that is why you pass by so many every day. It is God reminding you of their need and reminding you to do what you can for them.

 

[Thoma25]

If there are too many people to give to directly, and if they know where the shelter is, then why couldn’t you help them collectively by making regular contributions of your money and time there? Make it a part of your Friday penance, either by denying yourself something you enjoy and giving the money to the shelter, or volunteering for a small time slot?

 

[mo2169]

We are called to rationalize Jesus’ teachings down to size that we can handle. Imagine if we had to implement His teachings into everyone of our actions. He wasn’t really asking us to do what He taught, He just wanted us to say we believe in what He taught.

Peace

I also disagree.

In a perfect world, we would all hand out sandwiches. Jesus wants us all to help the poor. The fact that we all don’t do it is the problem. It’s also the reason there are so many homeless people.

To the OP:

One person (the person with the Original Post) cannot handle the task. Neither can the various organizations/donation agencies.
The lack of God’s teachings and Love in those in this world today makes things look more and more difficult every day.

I applaud you for doing your share - That’s exactly what Jesus wants you to do.
Don’t let the fact that others don’t put up their share make you feel like you aren’t doing enough. You are certainly aware and alert about this issue. With Jesus’ Love in your heart, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing.

God Bless…

 

[GratefulFred]

There is a gospel story about a rich man who asked Jesus what more must he do. He was a good man and was doing quite alot and Jesus acknowledged that. Then Jesus said to be perfect, go sell all you have and come follow me. That was too hard for him.

I do not think the good man,less than perfect on earth, ended in Hell, but that would be God’s decision, not mine. Rather I think we all must do the best we can and rely on God’s Mercy because we are not perfect in every way on every day.

I think God will judge our hearts and our efforts, knowing that we are not perfect, knowing that we may be more selfish than what we should be.

Do we at least give a reasonable amount over time to help the poor? Do we do it out of fear of going to Hell if we don’t, or out of a need to be seen helping, or out of true love and compassion for the poor?

If we sold everything and gave all to the poor and lived among them, we would be close to be saints on earth. If we say “No way will I help today or ever” when we very well can, we may be on the road to hell. The Bible talks in terms of giving 10%. But I don’t recall if that was before or after taxes. Certainly some of taxes go to the poor.

We constantly get mailers from many charities, a number of them Catholic. We constantly pass the street beggers. We cannot respond to each and every one financially, but we can at least say a silent prayer and respond with cash and a smile from time to time. I cannot pre-judge if MY $5 bill will go to drugs or booze rather than food or shelter. I give with a word of acknowledgement when I can because there is a real need for some comfort, a real need to know that people still care for the person who has been reduced to begging.

My point is that there is not a hard and fast rule for every person except to do what we can when we can out of love for the poor and love for God.

 

[Miserys_Fence]

Spend $5 on a bag of apples and/or oranges, and hand them out.

Miz

 

[Elizabeth502]

In a perfect world, we would all hand out sandwiches. Jesus wants us all to help the poor. The fact that we all don’t do it is the problem. It’s also the reason there are so many homeless people.

No, actually, “The fact that we all don’t do it” is based on this:

(1) Too many other people also can’t do it. (Those who are being approached are often struggling themselves.) We are never to put our own families and own selves truly at risk by making a foolish financial decision. If you know you don’t need that dollar/ five/ ten/ twenty, then give it, by all means. If you seriously are unsure about meeting the rent this month, and then put yourself in jeopardy due to impulsive generosity, then you are actually sinning by not using good judgment. That is different from deciding, ‘You know, I don’t need steak this month; I choose to eat peanut butter instead; it won’t hurt me to eat less luxuriously so that this poor person can also eat.’ (I’m talking essentials, not extras or degrees of comfort.) But you would be amazed how many people really are just surviving on essentials, foregoing recreation, eating very simply, never purchasing anything to eat or drink that is prepared, not buying new clothes, barely meeting the mortgage or rent.

(2) Yes, there are plenty of people who believe they have no responsibility beyond themselves, that they earned everything they have, and that legal responsibility is identical with moral responsibility. If there were more people in that category that chose one week to eat peanut butter instead of steak, more poor people would be helped on a more cotinuous (but probably temporary) basis.

(3) The system of unbridled capitalism is indeed brutal on those who for any reason, including the most innocent reasons (such as being defrauded, abandoned, having unmet hospital bills despite having saved & having insurance) find themselves impoverished. We do not have enough systems in place to rescue the innocent, and to meet long-term needs of those who are chronically poor (and often end up homeless). The poverty that is visible is actually the tip of the iceberg. There are lots of people who sleep in cars; I’ve encountered that quite a bit: you see all their belongings stuffed into their car; it’s so sad. But a lot of those aren’t the ones at public doorsteps. Some have regular jobs, but no home. Some are living on subsistence welfare of some kind.

A truly moral nation would have a system of coordinating programs to which even the temporarily poor could go to get assessed for what kind of help they need, which is not always cash but maybe a transitional residence, resources to find a new job, etc. (When you’re foreclosed on because you lost your job due to no fault of your own, you often no longer have your own computer/printer from which to look for new jobs, etc., which can put you into a cycle of poverty).

The poor don’t have the moibility, or often the time if it’s sudden poverty, to go scope out the 50 states, or even multiple counties with different policies within their own State, to figure out who provides what kind of resources. It doesn’t mean that social assistance should be nationalized: it means it should be coordinated with 800 numbers and public notices, so that people can be directed to the right networks with an avenue back to dignity.

So the answer is that Jesus does ask for us to help everyone we can help: emphasize can. Only we can make those decisions for ourselves. Understand, though, that having a tiny bit, minimum, saved each month is wise for emergencies. I recently had a surprise emergency myself. I was able to pay for that, but have been recovering from it for the last 2 months, and will for at least another 2. If I had given away my “extra” money to the poor, I wouldn’t have been able to afford housing or transportation. Very serious.
JMO

 

[OpenSource]

A truly moral nation would have a system of coordinating programs to which even the temporarily poor could go to get assessed for what kind of help they need, which is not always cash but maybe a transitional residence, resources to find a new job, etc. (When you’re foreclosed on because you lost your job due to no fault of your own, you often no longer have your own computer/printer from which to look for new jobs, etc., which can put you into a cycle of poverty).

We have systems like these in place, not only from government programs but from charities (Dorothy Day, etc.). Thousands of people successfully use these programs and find jobs and get their lives back together. These programs work and are in full use.

Giving money to the people that you see on the streets is enabling them to continue their addictions and you are also enabling them to keep standing there. If nobody gave to them, they wouldn’t be on the streets further destroying their lives. If you give to your local soup kitchen or Dorothy Day house, your small contribution can buy a roomful of people food, rather than one person his next bottle of vodka.

 

[rwillenborg]

Giving money to the people that you see on the streets is enabling them to continue their addictions and you are also enabling them to keep standing there. If nobody gave to them, they wouldn’t be on the streets further destroying their lives. If you give to your local soup kitchen or Dorothy Day house, your small contribution can buy a roomful of people food, rather than one person his next bottle of vodka.

That is EXACTLY the point I ponder! Though my intentions might be good in giving someone money or food, if I even have a FAIR degree of certainty that the recipient would then spend that money foolishly, wouldn’t the RIGHT thing to do be to give my money to an organization (we have a wonderful capuchian kitchen here in detroit that serves) who I know would better serve the person’s needs?
But then, I read the story of the good samaritan and it seems like he was rather reckless with his money, and his time and I wonder if that is really what I am being called to do.

 

[rossum]

We are called to rationalize Jesus’ teachings down to size that we can handle. Imagine if we had to implement His teachings into everyone of our actions. He wasn’t really asking us to do what He taught, He just wanted us to say we believe in what He taught.

You might need … markers round that.

Whoever said that Christianity was easy? If it was easy then everyone would get to heaven and hell would be empty. Christianity is not easy – you have to work at it.

rossum

 

[mo2169]

No, actually, “The fact that we all don’t do it” is based on this:

(1) Too many other people also can’t do it. (Those who are being approached are often struggling themselves.) We are never to put our own families and own selves truly at risk by making a foolish financial decision. If you know you don’t need that dollar/ five/ ten/ twenty, then give it, by all means. If you seriously are unsure about meeting the rent this month, and then put yourself in jeopardy due to impulsive generosity, then you are actually sinning by not using good judgment. That is different from deciding, ‘You know, I don’t need steak this month; I choose to eat peanut butter instead; it won’t hurt me to eat less luxuriously so that this poor person can also eat.’ (I’m talking essentials, not extras or degrees of comfort.) But you would be amazed how many people really are just surviving on essentials, foregoing recreation, eating very simply, never purchasing anything to eat or drink that is prepared, not buying new clothes, barely meeting the mortgage or rent.

(2) Yes, there are plenty of people who believe they have no responsibility beyond themselves, that they earned everything they have, and that legal responsibility is identical with moral responsibility. If there were more people in that category that chose one week to eat peanut butter instead of steak, more poor people would be helped on a more cotinuous (but probably temporary) basis.

(3) The system of unbridled capitalism is indeed brutal on those who for any reason, including the most innocent reasons (such as being defrauded, abandoned, having unmet hospital bills despite having saved & having insurance) find themselves impoverished. We do not have enough systems in place to rescue the innocent, and to meet long-term needs of those who are chronically poor (and often end up homeless). The poverty that is visible is actually the tip of the iceberg. There are lots of people who sleep in cars; I’ve encountered that quite a bit: you see all their belongings stuffed into their car; it’s so sad. But a lot of those aren’t the ones at public doorsteps. Some have regular jobs, but no home. Some are living on subsistence welfare of some kind.

A truly moral nation would have a system of coordinating programs to which even the temporarily poor could go to get assessed for what kind of help they need, which is not always cash but maybe a transitional residence, resources to find a new job, etc. (When you’re foreclosed on because you lost your job due to no fault of your own, you often no longer have your own computer/printer from which to look for new jobs, etc., which can put you into a cycle of poverty).

The poor don’t have the moibility, or often the time if it’s sudden poverty, to go scope out the 50 states, or even multiple counties with different policies within their own State, to figure out who provides what kind of resources. It doesn’t mean that social assistance should be nationalized: it means it should be coordinated with 800 numbers and public notices, so that people can be directed to the right networks with an avenue back to dignity.

So the answer is that Jesus does ask for us to help everyone we can help: emphasize can. Only we can make those decisions for ourselves. Understand, though, that having a tiny bit, minimum, saved each month is wise for emergencies. I recently had a surprise emergency myself. I was able to pay for that, but have been recovering from it for the last 2 months, and will for at least another 2. If I had given away my “extra” money to the poor, I wouldn’t have been able to afford housing or transportation. Very serious.
JMO

I initially intended to say:
The fact that we all don’t do it is the problem. (directed to those who have it and can donate)

God Bless…

 

[frindro]

He wasn’t really asking us to do what He taught, He just wanted us to say we believe in what He taught.

If you think so, you should read Matthew 7:24-27 (also, Luke 6:46-49), Matthew 25:31-46, and James 2:14-26.

Maybe some people will find the Catechism useful, though I know it does not answer the OP’s question: vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P8F.HTM

I would suggest that if the OP is uncomfortable giving money directly to the poor, that you indirectly give it to them by making donations to good charitable organizations, in which case more good will come out of the money you give.

 

[portarica]

You might need … markers round that.

Whoever said that Christianity was easy? If it was easy then everyone would get to heaven and hell would be empty. Christianity is not easy – you have to work at it.

rossum

Exactly, treat the least like they may be Jesus in the guise of the least. Like the tag line for the game Othello- " a minute to learn , a lifetime to master".

When I perfect that , I’ll move on to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Peace

 

[OpenSource]

That is EXACTLY the point I ponder! Though my intentions might be good in giving someone money or food, if I even have a FAIR degree of certainty that the recipient would then spend that money foolishly, wouldn’t the RIGHT thing to do be to give my money to an organization (we have a wonderful capuchian kitchen here in detroit that serves) who I know would better serve the person’s needs?
But then, I read the story of the good samaritan and it seems like he was rather reckless with his money, and his time and I wonder if that is really what I am being called to do.

I assert that the people you see on the streets isn’t a result of a failure of the system, because of the high rate of success for the people who WANT to be helped. Rather, it is a failure of the individual not wanting the kind of help that society has to offer. Society has programs to get people OFF the drugs and alcohol, which is the last thing that the majority of them want. They want your money to get high. Please don’t be enablers. If you are serious about giving to the poor, donate and volunteer at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. In that capacity, you will be helping them rather than hurting them.

Here in America with our government and culture it is different from ancient times past, where giving money to beggars was a legitimate means for them to get their basic needs. This is no longer the case. The least you could do is buy a beggar a meal, not give him/her 5 bucks. It seems easy giving them some cash and it’s hard not to do.

I’m speaking from personal experience, and there’s probably exceptions to the rule, but I doubt it.

 

[portarica]

I assert that the people you see on the streets isn’t a result of a failure of the system, because of the high rate of success for the people who WANT to be helped. Rather, it is a failure of the individual not wanting the kind of help that society has to offer. Society has programs to get people OFF the drugs and alcohol, which is the last thing that the majority of them want. They want your money to get high. Please don’t be enablers. If you are serious about giving to the poor, donate and volunteer at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. In that capacity, you will be helping them rather than hurting them.

Here in America with our government and culture it is different from ancient times past, where giving money to beggars was a legitimate means for them to get their basic needs. This is no longer the case. The least you could do is buy a beggar a meal, not give him/her 5 bucks. It seems easy giving them some cash and it’s hard not to do.

I’m speaking from personal experience, and there’s probably exceptions to the rule, but I doubt it.

Actually many street people are mentally ill, in addition to having addiction issues. When the states emptied out their institutions and the VA jettisoned support for vets in the 80’s ,90’s and early 2000’s the ranks of street people swelled.

So was it a failure of the system ? Or is just the selfishness of people who enjoy living on the streets and spending their nights under bridges and in refrigerator boxes . I guess they just love the freedom of being on the move and the ability to move one’s shopping cart from neighborhood to neighborhood . Ah, what a romantic way to live ones life.

Anybody can see that a sane person would trade life in the burbs with all the responsibility that entails to be out in the open with no cares except where the next meal and bottle of booze will come from. Some are so sane that they don’t even care about the meal.

Imagine that, just one care in life. That’s a superior lifestyle, that raises them out of the category of the least for sure. Imagine not having to worry about the crab grass or cell phone reception or where to go on vacation. They don’t know how good they have it.

And the craziness we put up with at work, its a blessing to be out of work and on the streets.

Peace

 

[rwillenborg]

I assert that the people you see on the streets isn’t a result of a failure of the system, because of the high rate of success for the people who WANT to be helped. Rather, it is a failure of the individual not wanting the kind of help that society has to offer. Society has programs to get people OFF the drugs and alcohol, which is the last thing that the majority of them want. They want your money to get high. Please don’t be enablers. If you are serious about giving to the poor, donate and volunteer at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. In that capacity, you will be helping them rather than hurting them.

Here in America with our government and culture it is different from ancient times past, where giving money to beggars was a legitimate means for them to get their basic needs. This is no longer the case. The least you could do is buy a beggar a meal, not give him/her 5 bucks. It seems easy giving them some cash and it’s hard not to do.

I’m speaking from personal experience, and there’s probably exceptions to the rule, but I doubt it.

having worked quite a bit with these services, i would have to agree with you. We see alot of drug and alcohol abuse.
I also agree with porarica - you see alot of mental illness, too. It’s tough to isolate one from the other though. Sometimes drug abuse looks like mental illness, and sometimes mental illness is actually the cause of the drug abuse.
But I do, in fact, for many of the 'regular’s I encounter know that giving them money would be enabling in some way. And, furthermore, I am concerned for their safety. If I give them money, let’s say, and others, too, they’ll come back to the same place to continue begging, and I can tell you, it’s not safe in some of those neighborhoods. Almost better to push them out of the place to someplace else, because there’s a good chance they’ll get killed and dumped in an aabandoned house.
Furthermore, I have to take into consideration the business owners in the area. Frankly, they don’t want these men trolling on the sidewalks in front of their buildings. It’s bad for business, and, again I know these men and women. They work hard, and they are some of the FEW people who are working to make the city livable. What nerve I have, encouraging the very behavior they are trying so hard to discourage, when, realistically, it’s EXACTLY those business owners who, in the end, might provide jobs for these very people. See my troubles?

 

[St_Francis]

…But then, I read the story of the good samaritan and it seems like he was rather reckless with his money, and his time and I wonder if that is really what I am being called to do.

The Good Samaritan ran across someone in sudden desperate need: a person who had been robbed and beaten. He took the man to the nearest town and cared for him.

When the GS had to move on, he gave some money to the innkeeper and asked him to look after the victim, and told him he’d come back and pay if it went over that amount.

It doesn’t sound to me like the GS was reckless with his time: when he had to leave, he arranged for care for the crime victim and left to take care of his business. And it wasn’t like the victim would run up several thousand dollars in medical bills that the GS was committing himself to pay.

We don’t know if the GS was rich or poor, but that was not what the parable was about. What the parable was about was *who *our neighbor is whom we are supposed to help. Are we supposed to consider those whom we are to help to be those from our family? Those who live on the same street we do? Those in our town?

Or are we supposed to consider as our neighbor those who are placed in our way who need help?

You have homeless people in your town, and you help them–volunteering and donating to homeless shelters and soup kitchens. That’s what *you *do. Others may not be able to make those types of commitments, and they may give to the homeless directly. If you think maybe some of the panhandlers don’t know where these places are, let them know, and tell them you’ll see them there.