Do you feel bad not giving money to homeless people?

Question

Jesus says we are supposed to not just give what we can, but give everything to those in need and we will ultimately be rewarded in heaven. However, I definately struggle with this. As a single mom-to-be I just cannot bring myself to giving out a few dollars to every person who asks...especially when I often feel it will be going towards unproductive things like drugs and alcohol.

How do other people deal with this? Do you just deal with the guilt or actually give?

P.s. I live in a city so I deal with this at least three times a day just when going from home to work and back

i DO give money to some of them occasionaly, and I also volunteer and donate money through my work assosciated food shelter. I'm just asking about all those other times when I leave the homeless people hangin

Answer 1

This answer is rather lengthy but I really hope you take the time to read it:

I understand that you do not want money that you give to homeless people going towards destructive behavior such as drugs and alcohol. However, I ask that you please not stereotype all homeless people as druggies and alcoholics because this is not always the case.

My mom is a police officer in the city that I live in and has come to know many homeless people. They do not all do drugs or drink. One cannot assume these things about a person simply by looking at their social or financial standing. Just because they are homeless does not mean that drugs or alcohol is what made them that way. Many of them really, really do want to better their lives but simply don't have a means of doing so. Every little bit given to them from kind strangers helps.

I understand that you cannot afford to give money to every less fortunate person that you encounter and that is okay. If the reason you do not give them money is because you are not financially able to, you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty. But do remember when you are driving in your car that you are far more fortunate (financially speaking) than they are and while you might not be rich, you have a roof over your head. One dollar could buy them warm food to put in their stomachs off of the dollar menu at McDonald's or Wendy's.

To answer your question: I usually try to give some spare change to homeless people I encounter when I am able to. I wish I could say I always do but I am not always able. Try to remember what is important. What is important is that you have given them a little money out of the kindness of your heart and you tried to help them. It is not important and not your concern how they spend the money. It is a waste of time to worry about what they do with the money you give them. What is important is the gesture you made in trying to help someone who is less fortunate than you are. You should be able to feel good about yourself by knowing that you offered help to someone who needed it instead of worrying yourself about what they did with the help you provided.

I am not trying to make you feel guily - simply trying to give you a different perspective. As I said before, if you can't afford to give, don't and you have no reason to feel guilty about that. But if your reasons for not giving is because you are worried about how they will spend the money, please consider what I have said here. It's about the gesture, not how they use it.

This is my percpective, regardless of what the Bible says. I am an atheist but I firmly believe in helping others who need it. I do feel terrible when I pass them by or overlook them, which I am trying not to do. I simply hope they understand that when I do, it's not out of disregard, but sometimes I am just not able to help.

Answer 2

Somewhere it says in the Bible that if you don't take care of your family you are worse than an infidel. That said, you should help the homeless, but that doesn't necessarily mean passing money out on the street, where people can and do abuse your generosity.
You can give to charities whatever you can afford or help by giving your time as a volunteer at a shelter or just help someone you know who is having hard times.
Jesus did not say give everything to those in need. He told Nicodemus to sell all he had and follow him, but he was not talking to everyone. Nicodemus wanted to literally walk with Jesus in his mission on earth. Jesus' primary mission was not to help the poor but to save mankind, rich and poor, from their sins.

Answer 3

I feel that it is mainly the governments responsibility to help those in need get back on their feet not the rest of us who really are struggling to provide for our loved ones. I work for a non profit organization and I love it, I do what I can (donate clothes, food, coats, even money) but I do not feel that I should break my bank account trying to give to others when the government doesn't even do their part in trying to help these people. That may sound selfish to some, but I do give several times a year to those in need. I go out of my way to pick up donations and deliver them-no one pays for my gas to do so. I can claim all this on my taxes but I can't claim my time, my cell phone bill my internet usage (emailing and locating others to help) or my gas. I feel as an individual what I do is plenty.

If I see a person on the streets if I have something to give them I will. My mom always teases me about when I was around 5 I begged for a hot dog at one of the street vendors, I took one bite and then gave it to a person who I had seen begging for food. She doesn't tease me to be mean, she does it kindly pointing out how I have always been the type of person to give to others. I do feel guilty when someone asks for something and I dont have anything to give-especially if I am coming from having a good meal and they clearly look depressed.

I do think every little bit will help them-addicts or not. My giving a dollar or two will not hurt me that badly that I can not spare it-unless I just dont have it, bc I certainly am not going to write out a check. I dont think you should feel guilty if you are trying to make it on your own with a child on the way. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to help those in need.

I am not a chirstian, or a follower of any faith. BUT, I think that no GOD or PERSON would advise you to give so much that you are now in a worse position than the person whom you have given to.

Answer 4

I went to college in a big city. We had that problem on campus all the time. I used to give money to a group on campus (they served breakfast and lunch to the homeless and handed out clothing - all based on donations) and when I was asked for money, I would direct them toward the on campus church where the food and clothing was handed out. I stopped giving money directly to them because I wanted to make sure they were actually using it to get food. When I was in school - I barely had enough money to feed myself as it was.

Now I live in suburbia. Not a lot of homeless people there. But I still give to local shelters and organizations that help feed and clothe the homeless and those who need help. So my suggestion is find a worthy shelter, donate to them, and refer all the homeless people who ask to that particular shelter while explaining you have nothing to give.

Answer 5

No, I pay my taxes and billions of dollars of OUR taxes go to homeless shelters and homes. Most homeless people have made themselves poor and refuse to do anything about it. Yes it is true that for some it is not their fault, they had a bad break or an injury or just got screwed by someone and for them I would hardly help them find a job, get some clean clothes and a warm meal, but I'd never just give them money.
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will have food for a lifetime."

Answer 6

First things first. I responded to a question earlier where many Christians stated your actions are not relevant. You can give and give and give until you can give no more. That will not get you into heaven. Next, one of the lessons I recall very well is "give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he'll eat for life".
People have to help themselves. There is a difference between helping someone who will accept and use your help to better themselves and the person who will take your help and then ask for it again and again simply because it is easier than doing things for themselves.

Answer 7

you have touched on the most sensitive subject in Christianity. to give or not to give? The word says the Lord loves a cheerful giver. What is a cheerful giver? Isn't it someone who loves and wants to give, or is it someone who gives only because the word says to? Sometimes the heart wants to feed the world but the mind says no way. The heart wants you to bless those in need, but your mind says they will buy drugs or alcohol. Are you giving from your heart or your mind? Our part is to take care of those in need and not let our minds keep us from blessing those in need. If we follow our "common sense" then we follow our minds which tell us things like "I cannot afford this" and "they will take advantage of me". If we always followed our minds we would have never found Christ, But when we choose to follow our hearts it is then we bless others and become blessed as well.
Proverbs 19:17 says "he who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given." also read Matt. 25:31-46

Answer 8

Very easy, and very simple. In Cuba ( a comunist country today ) the government takes care of the homeless.

Therefore, in the USA, the richest, most powerful, most developed country in the world, it is the government's responsibility to do so, instead of making wars and things like that

They have the money, the means, and the duty

Answer 9

I'm Not a Christian - But I give to homeless shelters. You being a Christian, there are likely a great deal of Christian ministries who help the homeless, in a controlled safe environment. Consider giving $50 a year to them. It's not too much to ask, and it'll go to a good cause that you know uses it responsibly.

Answer 10

I don't give money to individual homeless people generally (although sometimes I might make an exception), because I don't think it helps improve their situation, I think it is often just to buy drugs or alcohol. I don't feel guilty about it, because I do give money to charities some of which help the homeless.