Homeless people/beggars

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How do you handle homeless people or others who ask you for help or money?
A middle-aged homeless man wandered into the office where I work the other day. He asked me if there was anything we could hire him to do (there wasn’t). I referred him to the local homeless shelters, and he said he went there everyday to eat but they had no room for him to stay and were not able to help him. He asked me for money. I turned him down, partially because it’s generally not been my practice to give money directly to people, and partially because I think my employer would disapprove if anyone started handing out money to people, especially if “word got out” among the homeless population and others showed up. I told him I would pray for him, which I did, and will continue to. But I can’t shake the feeling of guilt. I felt so sorry for him. I couldn’t help but feel like one of the people in the parable of the Good Samaritan who walks by the man who is hurt on the side of the road.
Yet at the same time, I know that we cannot possibly give money to everyone who asks us, and to my knowledge, the Church does not require this.
I do give money regularly to the Church, I donate food to a food pantry frequently, and I give clothes and other items to charity as well.
Yet i feel guilty.
How do you handle beggars or homeless individuals? Do you feel we should help them directly? If so, how do you decide when to help someone and when to say no?
 
I can so relate to what you are feeling.A few years ago,while in Matzalan,I walked around a poor and obviously needy elderly man with a cup in his hand for donations.I and my husband and friends stepped around him both coming and going.I feel much regret and sadness that I didn’t heed Christ’s command to. Minister to the least among us.I now know that was Christ I walked past.😦
Re your situation,considering you were at work I do think it was prudent of you to respond the way ypu did. God Bless!
 
While entering a fast food place with some friends, I noticed a homeless person rummaging through the garbage pail outside looking for scraps. I decided to give him a $5. bill. While sitting down with my friends the thought crossed my mind that it might have been a ploy for money which would have been ill-spent.

I was quite happy when I saw him finally enter the store and then leave with a small bag of food.

After pondering this, I remember what a speaker once said about such situations where we are concerned where the money is going. He said when you are moved to give with compassion, what you gave is your treasure in heaven, and then you don’t have to bother being anxious about it.
 
On the other hand, a great deal of homeless in the US know how to take advantage of peoples’ Christian beliefs. It is not an act of charity to let someone con you.
 
Our homeless brothers and sisters need our help. We need to be mindful that Jesus is within each of our brothers and sisters and when we fail to help our brothers and sisters we are failing to help Jesus.

We were given two commandments…Love God and love our neighbours…that means everyone.

We are all familiar with the parables and bible verses of teachings of Jesus.We must always help poor and vulnerable brothers and sisters in need.

Prayers,monetary help if we are able, food clothes and sustenance even a home if able!

It is not our place to judge our brothers and sisters.It is not a question of whether the Church requires this…it is our choice of attitude as followers of Christ whether we help or not. The parable of the widows mite where she had only a ‘mite’ to give was worth more than a millionaire fiving several hundred thousand as she gave all she had. It is all relevant. Our consciences are defined by our love of God and our choice to follow Him.

“Do not let the right hand know what the left hand is doing” another inspiring bible quote I try to remember…we do not need to let others know what we are doing in humble love and genuine concern for one another.

Our consciences are our own. We each have to follow our path whether we follow the wide path or the narrow one is our choice.

God bless you
 
Dorothy said:
While entering a fast food place with some friends, I noticed a homeless person rummaging through the garbage pail outside looking for scraps. I decided to give him a $5. bill. While sitting down with my friends the thought crossed my mind that it might have been a ploy for money which would have been ill-spent.

I was quite happy when I saw him finally enter the store and then leave with a small bag of food.

After pondering this, I remember what a speaker once said about such situations where we are concerned where the money is going. He said when you are moved to give with compassion, what you gave is your treasure in heaven, and then you don’t have to bother being anxious about it.
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Good advice!🙂
 
For me it depends on the circumstances. I offer them help but rarely give them money unless in the conversation it seems as tho money is ok to give them. In fact, it is easier on me to give them money than to bother to really help them.

If someone would come up to me and say, “I need a drink, can you spare some money?” I probably would give it to them for their honesty and then faint.

I believe that giving them money is incorrect most times.

I know someone who saw good people giving out blankets to the homeless. He said the next day they found these blankets on the ground and the homeless gone. It is very hard to help them for they don’t know how to help themselves. I’m not saying we should not help them, but there are good ways and bad ways.

I’ve had people who were hungry who I said I would feed them a meal, but refused them money. Tho they wanted the money for food, they refused my meal offer. What does that say? Honesty is not their policy. Yet others do accept the offer of food.

But I know someone else who never refuses them money.

To me, the best way to help them is to give them food, or pay the electric bill.

We are all different, thank goodness for that.
 
Luke 6:30, Jesus says, “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”

Now, I don’t give to every single person who asks of me, particularly family, but I sometimes give. May God forgive us for the times we don’t give.
 
When I have money, I buy local fast food gift cards in small amounts to give to those I see in need. I have the peace of mind that the money is going towards a meal, and can give more at ease.

When you get a dirty look from the person that it wasn’t cash, though, it does hurt your faith in people. Can’t trade a giftcard to Del Taco for drugs.
 
FrenzyJen said:
When I have money, I buy local fast food gift cards in small amounts to give to those I see in need. I have the peace of mind that the money is going towards a meal, and can give more at ease.

When you get a dirty look from the person that it wasn’t cash, though, it does hurt your faith in people. Can’t trade a giftcard to Del Taco for drugs.
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More good advice,I am going to do this!🙂
 
It is impossible to know who is truly needing our help and who are trying to con us. Either way I generally give a little because I feel that is what God expects me to do and He will take care of the judging. I will say that I prefer to offer to buy them a meal rather give cash because I hate the idea it may go for drugs. One time in Chicago we had a dinner at a very nice restaurant and some of the food had not been touched. It was bagged up and placed in a vinyl carrying sack. I offered it to someone who looked like they might enjoy the food but all he cared about was the bag. It didn’t matter to me because he seemed pleased with just the bag but it taught me that there are all kinds of things the “needy” need.
 
I remember reading an article written by a previously homeless man. He said that one of the hardest parts was that people didn’t treat you like a person. They ignored him or gave dirty looks if any.

If I have nothing to give, I try to at least make eye contact and smile, and wish them a nice day.
 
I have found that through many years of experience with encountering the homeless, the Holy Spirit seems to direct me to give to certain people, while other I do not have a desire or urge to give to at that time. I always listen for the Spirit to give me direction concerning this.
 
FrenzyJen said:
When I have money, I buy local fast food gift cards in small amounts to give to those I see in need. I have the peace of mind that the money is going towards a meal, and can give more at ease.

When you get a dirty look from the person that it wasn’t cash, though, it does hurt your faith in people. Can’t trade a giftcard to Del Taco for drugs.
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No. But you can sell a $5.00 card for $2.50. There is always a way and those who are insincincere will find it.
 
My job is to help people. End of story. It is not my job to judge their sincerity, worthiness, or anything else. I live in a city with a large homeless population. Yes, many of them use drugsand alcohol. But when I’m asked for help I give it however I can. If I am leaving the grocery store I’ll give them some food. If I’m in my car with no food I’ll give them cash. If I only have a debit card on me I’ll pop in somewhere to grab them a meal.

Sure, I have no doubt that sometimes I’m taken advantage of. But there are times I’m not, and helping people makes it worth it. Especially since what I’m giving is so inconsequential to me but can make a huge difference to a homeless person.

To the people who think that it’s best to not give them money, only food, I ask you to look at the homeless as people with dignity, not children. While food is helpful there are things that the homeless really do need money for. Feminine products, painkiller and other medicines, clothes, blankets, etc. It is good to give people a way to meet their basic needs at their own discretion.
 
love your neighbor as yourself. I saw a middle-aged man holding up a sign that he was a homeless veteran and needed money to feed his dog. I gave him $. Do I know if he had a dog? No. But I did tell him that Jesus loved him and he was slightly taken aback by that and said that Jesus loved me too. He may have been a con, I don’t know. But he could also have been an angel or Jesus!
You have to weigh out the circumstances. I may be fooled now and then but I would rather take that chance and obey the Lord.
 
“Homeless people/beggars”
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Be careful about making assumptions. Most homeless people are not beggars. Most street beggars are not homeless. (I have worked in social services for 20 years.)
 
This is the story of the most foolish traveler in the world.
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Once upon a time, there was a foolish traveler who had gone on a journey. why was he foolish? well, because he was fooled by everyone he met!
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Everywhere he went, people made up all kinds of sad stories to tell him, and the traveler fell for every one of them.
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Please, some money for medicine…? I have a sick younger sister… I don’t have money to buy seeds to plant in my fields.
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Pretty soon, his money, his clothes, even his shoes had been cheated away from him.
However, the foolish traveler was always glad to help. For every one of them, he’d smile and say, “I wish you happiness.”
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But by this point, the traveler was completely naked, and with nothing left to cover himself, he decided to leave the main road and travel through the dense forest, where no one could see him…
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Soon, he was discovered by the goblins that lived in the woods. the goblins wanted to eat the traveler’s body, so they begged and pleaded, and used kind words to try and trick him…
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Of course, the traveler was fooled. First, he let the goblins eat one of his legs. then an arm. Then more and more…before it was over, all that the traveler had left was his head. He’d even given his eyes away to the last of the goblins…
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And as the last goblin was eating the traveler’s eyes, he turned and said “thank you, traveler. in return, I leave you this present.”
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What the goblin left was a slip of paper, with the word “fool” written on it. The traveler couldn’t see it. He didn’t know what it was. Even so, tears began to flow down his face. “Thank you,” he said. “This is the first present anyone ever gave me. I’m so happy. I’m so happy. Thank you.”
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Even without his eyes, he cried and cried great tears of joy. Then, the traveler died, with a smile on his face.
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And that’s…the end of the story.
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This is from the aime, Fruits Basket. I think the world would be a much better place if there were more foolish travelers. (I myself am a better man for having known Ms. Tohru Honda).
 
PaulfromIowa said:
Be careful about making assumptions. Most homeless people are not beggars. Most street beggars are not homeless. (I have worked in social services for 20 years.)
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You’re right, but I used that title because the subject of my specific story was both homeless (or at least, he said he was, but I have no reason not to believe him), and he came into my workplace begging for money.

But, yes, you are right, I have passed many homeless people on the street who did not ask me for anything. And I know of a news channel that did a feature story on street-corner beggars (who held signs asking for money), following them home and talking to them, and at least of the ones they profiled, none were actually homeless.
 
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