July/August 2000
Should I Help?
by Richard Burkard
Christians should be willing to help people in need. But an impulsive response on the spur of the moment sometimes isn't the best response for a situation.
I know you don't know me, but" I agreed with the woman who knocked on my door at 9:15 p.m. I didn't know her. On that point, we were even.
"I'm homeless. Can you give me a donation?"
How would you respond to a request such as this -- if not at your door, perhaps on a street corner?
Many would turn their heads the other way and walk on, but that's not really a Christian, loving approach. Others might answer, "I'm a Christian. I'll pray for you." Indeed, prayers do help. Yet the New Testament shows in cases such as this, they're not enough (James 2:15-16).
Christians should be willing to help people in need. But an impulsive response on the spur of the moment sometimes isn't the best response for a situation. After encountering beggars and needy people for years in big and moderate-sized cities, I've borrowed an idea expressed by Paul: Have a zeal to help, but based on knowledge (Romans 10:2). In other words, I learn as much as I can about the person asking for help -- to provide the most appropriate help possible.
Appropriate Help
Here are some points to keep in mind:
· You control the situation. You don't have to give beggars everything they request. After all, does God give us everything we ask of him immediately? If he did, Jesus Christ would have returned to earth to establish his kingdom in its fullness long ago!
In addition, one need fulfilled can lead to a second or third request, which only produces personal frustration. A man on a downtown street corner asked me one morning for a quarter for food. I decided to buy him an early lunch instead -- and as he ate, he responded to my generosity by asking for a dollar. His need had increased fourfold, although I'd provided much more than the man originally requested. That case and others taught me another lesson.
· Don't be naïve. Not every beggar who claims to need help really needs it. An Atlanta newspaper followed one man who positioned his wheelchair outside a skyscraper day after day looking helpless and seeking handouts. It turned out that he lived comfortably and well in an apartment.
Related to this is the game of "bait and switch" that beggars sometimes play. During one vacation, I bought dinner for a begging man Sunday night, then found him approaching me Monday for spare change to buy lunch. He didn't recognize me for several seconds, then admitted what he really wanted was a taste of alcohol -- which I refused to give him.
· Ask questions. A little probing can determine the real need -- and if you can't fulfill it, perhaps a local agency can.
For instance, the "homeless" woman who knocked on my apartment door admitted under questioning that she actually lived in a boarding house with several other people. "I consider myself homeless," she declared, explaining that she didn't have an apartment or house of her own. Yet the boarding house was far better than the stereotypical homeless person who sleeps on a park bench or under a bridge. It was even a step above a homeless shelter, which is where I initially offered to take her. Some shelter directors recommend that people with giving hearts steer the needy toward agencies instead of trying to provide personal assistance.
· Try to meet needs without giving money. A donation of spare change admittedly is the easy answer to a beggar's need, especially if you're stopped while hurrying to an appointment. But there's no control over how your money will be used. Perhaps the beggar will use the money responsibly, to get a bus ride or a dinner, but perhaps he or she will use it for something you oppose, such as an illegal drug habit.
(In some cities, homeless agencies have developed an ingenious alternative: coupons for free restaurant food. They give potential donors coupons to offer beggars, so cash isn't necessary.)
A Helping Hand
The woman who knocked on my door happened to call as I was praying for God's blessing on my dinner. Leftover spaghetti was heating in the oven. I offered to share a plate with my guest, and she accepted it. She stood on my front porch and stirred the food for what seemed like several minutes as she described her difficult situation. But then, before she took a bite, she offered a forkful to two cats wandering by.
"No, no," I had to remind her, "the food's for you because you're homeless."
With that, my unnamed and unexpected guest left with the donated spaghetti. I couldn't resist checking to see if she actually ate the dinner I gave her or left it on the ground in search of something better. But when I walked outside a couple of minutes later to look for the woman, she was nowhere to be found.
Did I entertain an angel on that night (Hebrews 13:2)? Someday, I believe, Jesus will let me know. But until then, there's no lingering regret about what I did -- since I tried to lend a helping hand.
Richard Burkard, a 16-year veteran of broadcast journalism, is a freelance writer in Columbus, Georgia.