The Internet Monk on Giving Money to Panhandlers

Michael Spencer, the iMonk, has a great post on giving to panhandlers.  I don't know about you but when I am approached for money either at a stop light or on the street I almost never give, although sometimes I feel guilty enough to do so, but when I don't give, I do feel guilty. 

But Michael's thoughts are some of the most helpful I have seen in giving guidance about where and when and how to give.  All of his points are great but here are a couple of teasers to encourage you to read the whole thing:

7. Dave Ramsey tells the story of working with his church’s benevolence ministry. They put three guidelines into place for all people asking for financial or food assistance. 1) Work an hour or two at the church. 2) Meet with a member of the church to make out a budget. 3) Attend one church service. Ramsey says that over 95% of persons asking for financial help did not return when these guidelines were given to them. This is a good indicator of the actual makeup of most benevolence requests.

And:

9) Money given to aggressive panhandlers is money that can’t be given to the truly poor. Go to any ministry that deals with people who are truly poor. They will tell you that almost none of those poor people would be on the streets begging in America today because of the dangers, the criminal element and so forth. Addiction, mental illness, con artists and criminal intent are on most of America’s streets. The truly poor will be known to local shelters, ministries, schools and social workers. There are many opportunities to give to families and children who truly need the money and would never be begging on the streets with a story such as we commonly hear from panhandlers.

Related Tags: Religion, Christian, Christianity, Giving, Poor, Charity

Comments

[Steve Sensenig]

Help me out here. I'm having a hard time understanding how Ramsey's view matches with Scripture.

I'm not being snarky at all, but I'm really having a hard time putting it together.

Ironically, not too long ago, I wrote a post with a very, very different perspective on this issue. Not sure if you read it, David, but if you did, I'd be very open to your differing views on my thoughts.

[Rong]

David, I live over in the Rockville area of our fair state. Lately I have seen a number of horribly crippled panhandlers at the main intersections around town. Most of them appear to be hispanic and almost all have had some kind of delibitation with their hips, club feet, disfigured legs, etc. These truly would be the people sitting at the city gates. I haven't just wanted to give them a buck or two, but to find out where they are sleeping, have they tried getting help with the county social service agencies, etc. That is until I saw a county cop stop on a side street one day near where one of these panhandlers was stationed. And I say stationed because as soon as he saw the cop he immediately left and hobbled his way over to a near by mini-van, got in and was driven off. So now I'm left thinking that these people are nothing more than a bunch of scam artists and that the cops have figured out their game.

Thanks for pointing out Michael's article, there are some very wise tips and thoughts to be learned from.

[DEBTective]

The Big Guy helps those who help themselves, baby. When you give some joe or jill help, they learn to give back by working for it. It's good to have someone that you're helping put in some work and make that effort instead of just sticking their hand out and expecting some dough. It's good for THEM.

[RnHess]

Once upon a time,.. gave some cash for food (?)and his buddies appeared out of nowhere i.e. and they counted their combined loot,.. got burnt by 'this' panhandler....now I say,.. 'when and if'... lets go to lunch, my treat..it's that simple..I'm a single fellow and I would like your company Friend, dislike eating alone!..Chow RnH

[patty]

once my grandpa was walking in downtown seattle and a panhandler asked him for some money, so my grandpa opened his wallet to give the guy a ten and the bum stuck his hand in the wallet and ran away with all of my grandpas cash! ever since i heard that story i won't give money to people begging on the street, although i think you should give to your church and local shelters. shelters will make sure your money goes to helping people and you can protect yourself from being ripped off.

[Marti A]

I live in Africa, in a rural area. I give to the poor and generously. However, I defy anyone to find any truly poor in the States. An international criterion for malnutrition--which certifies one (in the absence of disease)--as truly poor is a mid-upper-arm circumference of 23 centimeters. For me, that's touching the tip of my thumb to the tip of my middle finger around the person's arm, half-way between the elbow and the shoulder. If I can do that, they are poor and deserve my help. One woman, about 30 years old and not an AIDS patient, weighed 56 lb just because she hadn't enough to eat. Now, about 1 year later, she's up to 66 lb. You guys in the States just have never seen poverty.

[caucazhin]

Michael Spencers peice should be used for toilet paper!!!
Jesus told us when asked for our coat to give our cloak also.
To be perfect as our Father in heaven who gives freely to the just and the unjust.But instead we come up with all this human reasoning and pop & "Christian" physcology when the scripture is clear.Christ didn't ask us to have them fill out a form to see if they qualify according to our human reasoning & understanding.

[Bunnyfarm]

In Jesus' time and place, there was no welfare nor social security. Beggars were people with severe disabilities, the elderly no longer able to work and without children to support them, or orphans and widows unable to support themselves.
We need to apply these teachings to how things work in the here and now. Open your home to foster children. Be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Be a mentor. Teach someone to budget. Volunteer at a drug rehab center. Give to the food bank. Sponsor a child living in poverty in a third world country. Go to a third world country on a medical mission. Buy fairly traded products that don't take advantage of workers in poorer countries. I think Jesus was trying to teach a principle, not something to be taken literally word for word. Think of yourself as a servant, if someone truly needs your help, then help them. I am not sure that I always behave as I should. Should I be living in a 3 bedroom home with electricity and running water and plenty to eat, spending my "extra" money on things like movies and mochas? My husband's rationale there is that by buying things, we help others to make a living so they don't have to beg. But I do think that giving to the poor is very important as well.

[Bunnyfarm]

In Jesus' time and place, there was no welfare nor social security. Beggars were people with severe disabilities, the elderly no longer able to work and without children to support them, or orphans and widows unable to support themselves.
We need to apply these teachings to how things work in the here and now. Open your home to foster children. Be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Be a mentor. Teach someone to budget. Volunteer at a drug rehab center. Give to the food bank. Sponsor a child living in poverty in a third world country. Go to a third world country on a medical mission. Buy fairly traded products that don't take advantage of workers in poorer countries. I think Jesus was trying to teach a principle, not something to be taken literally word for word. Think of yourself as a servant, if someone truly needs your help, then help them. I am not sure that I always behave as I should. Should I be living in a 3 bedroom home with electricity and running water and plenty to eat, spending my "extra" money on things like movies and mochas? My husband's rationale there is that by buying things, we help others to make a living so they don't have to beg. But I do think that giving to the poor is very important as well.

[Bunnyfarm]

In Jesus' time and place, there was no welfare nor social security. Beggars were people with severe disabilities, the elderly no longer able to work and without children to support them, or orphans and widows unable to support themselves.
We need to apply these teachings to how things work in the here and now. Open your home to foster children. Be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Be a mentor. Teach someone to budget. Volunteer at a drug rehab center. Give to the food bank. Sponsor a child living in poverty in a third world country. Go to a third world country on a medical mission. Buy fairly traded products that don't take advantage of workers in poorer countries. I think Jesus was trying to teach a principle, not something to be taken literally word for word. Think of yourself as a servant, if someone truly needs your help, then help them. I am not sure that I always behave as I should. Should I be living in a 3 bedroom home with electricity and running water and plenty to eat, spending my "extra" money on things like movies and mochas? My husband's rationale there is that by buying things, we help others to make a living so they don't have to beg. But I do think that giving to the poor is very important as well.

[Account Deleted]

Hi there I just drop by your post because I'm searching some information to help me out with my situation. Anyway, I'm a single dad of 2 age 5 and 3 I'm so glad to drop by your blog. I really enjoyed reading your every post. Thanks for sharing this I really appreciate the effort.

http://www.singledadfinancialhelp.com/