Do you give to panhandlers? Jesus said, "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." Does this mean we should hand out cash to homeless people?

As followers of Christ, what do we actually do for "the least of these?" Give money? Or something else? And if we give money, do we give for the right reasons, or out of guilt or shame? Is there a wrong reason to give??

One side says, "Give every time you can, to every person you can, in every way you can." The other side of the argument are those who say, "Don't give. You are perpetuating addiction...giving money that's used for liquor or drugs. Instead, offer a meal." Here in Roanoke there are great organizations, like the Rescue Mission, where a person can get a meal, a shower, a quilt on his bed, an introduction to Christ. All of those sound better than a Buck for a Bottle. Do we offer solutions or a quick fix...literally, a quick fix? At the risk of sounding trite, what would Jesus do?

My friend told me that her son lives in a downtown area and is often approached for money from homeless men. Her son always offers to take them somewhere and buy them a meal. That offer has never been accepted. They are not hungry for something he is willing to buy. Yet I find his response very Christ-like. Christ really would offer them the bread of life and living water.

Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me. Would you willingly feed an unhealthy habit? Would you do it to feel good about yourself or because it's the easiest response? Is the easiest response the best thing that you would do for Christ?

I've gone both ways on this issue. Give money, don't give money. Give food, don't give anything. One day I leaned out the window and handed a box of crackers to a guy on the side of the road. He took them.

But once Dave drove past a guy who appeared down-and-out, then regretted it. He turned around. He got out of the car, approached the guy, and offered some money. This offended the man's pride. Dave got an earful about his self-righteousness. Apparently just because someone is under an overpass, doesn't mean they want or need charity. Ouch.

Lately my approach is to pray, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" I figure He knows each situation far more intimately than my snap judgements. Today, I saw a man at a highway on-ramp. Traffic was uncharacteristically backed up, so I assumed there would be someone there, and sure enough, there was. I prayed my prayer and felt in my heart the answer was, "Not today."

When I got close enough to read his sign, this is what it said.

"If Jesus were on the side of the road, would you give Him something?"

Boy, was I glad I had prayed before I got closer. If Jesus were on the side of the road, I hope I'd give Him something. I hope I'd give Him my time and my undivided attention. It's what I'm trying to give Him daily...my time and my attention. Yet that's much more than I gave this guy. I simply gave him a smile and right now, a prayer.

What do you guys do? I really want to know.




Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'