Entertaining. Insightful. Thought-provoking. Garbage. However you have viewed these blog posts in the past, throw it out the window for this one. This particular post is aimed 100% at eliciting feedback and discussion so if you read it, respond to it.
The question: As a disciple of Jesus, what's the appropriate response to the homeless, specifically panhandlers?
I've been wrestling with this one for over a year now and can't come up with an answer. Here are some thoughts to get the discussion going:
My initial reaction is to give every time I am asked. Isn't that what the Bible says: Give generously to those who ask? The primary issue with this is you'll be broke after walking 10 blocks in downtown Chicago (or any major city) and then begging yourself.
I've heard others say you shouldn't give cash to those on the street because you could be supporting an addiction. Instead you should give to the organizations who are set up to help these people. A valid point but with two flaws: A) When I'm asked for money I don't feel like Jesus when I say, "Sorry, I can't help you, but I did just give money to that shelter on the other side of town. Why don't you check it out." B) Say you are supporting an addiction. So the guy gets stoned, ends up in a hospital that checks him into rehab where a nurse turns his life around and leads him to Christ. All started with your $5. I think the command was to give generously. It's God's money. He will work it out to his good ends.
Other Ideas I've Heard
Buy McDonald's gift cards to hand out. Then you know where the money is going. One lady even went as far as taping Bible verses to them. But it still doesn't answer the problem of running out of money after 10 blocks.
Give only to those who don't ask. I like this idea because it causes you to be proactive about searching for someone to help rather than reactive and reluctantly giving because you feel guilty. The only caution here is identifying those who need help.
I heard a story of a friend leaving a meal next to a sleeping man so he woke up to a blessing from God. I like this one.
Case Studies
Two recent events to instigate more discussion:
I crossed paths with a man on his bike who gave me a story about having Type II Diabetes and having not eaten in two days. I gave him a McDonald's gift card and he was hesitantly appreciative. Two days later we crossed paths again on the other side of town and he gave me the same story. I was out of gift cards so I gave him a $5 bill. He was overly appreciative. Saw him a third time with the same story and I turned him down. I wished I had the courage to ask him his story.
I was sitting in the parking lot of the local grocery store finishing a phone conversation and watched a man aggressively work the whole lot (including my car) at about a 50% success rate. He was gone when I came out of the store.
Radical Response
I have thought that the most "Jesus-like response" is to invite the beggar to dinner with you that night if you're on your way. It's radical. It's risky. But it seems so appropriate. By the end of dinner you will have not only met the immediate need of hunger but will likely meet a more important need of love.
I'm reminded of the movie The Soloist in which Jamie Foxx's character, a homeless man, wasn't interested in the roof over his head or other luxuries the journalist was trying to provide. He had a lifestyle and was accustomed to it. More than anything he wanted a friend.
The homeless have plenty of places/people to get free meals. Maybe the answer is to find a way to show them love.
Recently I have complained about grocery stores selling things in bulk that's only fitting for a family of four. As a single man I can't get through the goods before they spoil. Maybe my response to this question is to budget meals for a family of four and give 3/4 of it away...
Calling for Help
Those are my points. I want to hear yours. What's the answer? How do we respond to, "Sir, can you spare some change?" I realize a new president, new government or a redistribution of the world's wealth may fix the problem, but that doesn't really help when I walk home tonight.
I also realize some are called to full-time ministry for the homeless where they dedicate their lives to providing a long-term recovery plan, but all of us are called to some level of help. What's the answer for the rest of us?
Let's continue the discussion. Post a comment below now. You don't have to be a blogger or a google member to post. I want to hear your thoughts. What ideas have you tried/heard? How can we best represent Christ in this brief interaction?
A follow-up to this discussion can be found in the post Study: Responding to the Homeless
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9 comments:
I've struggled with this a bit too since graduating and going home to Austin. I went on the trip to Daytona, and I found it easy there to meet their needs, since that was all that I was down there to do. I got them food usually, and most of the time sat down and talked with them. But since coming back to Austin, I've encountered many on the way home from work. Most of the time, I have some place to go, and can't spend the time as I did in Daytona.
One thing I'm a big fan of is giving food and meeting other needs besides financial needs. I've handed out extra water bottles I've had in my car, and give out fruit, as well as granola bars and such.
Basically for me, it's not a formula. I think a lot of it is how the spirit leads you. I've given out money a couple times, but for me it's pretty rare. For the most part I try to give out food, but a lot of it depends on what I'm feeling. Some people I don't give anything, just b/c it feels like they don't need it. Some might ask, who are you to judge, but I feel that God left us the Holy Spirit for a reason. I can sit around and question my motives all day long, or I can just trust that the thought in my head is from God.
On a recent trip to CA, I was eating at In 'n Out. I sat at a table outside, right next to the entrance, and there was a guy asking for change as people were leaving and entering. I told God, if he's still there when I finish, I'll get him a meal. And when I finished up, I went in and ordered, and walked out and gave him the cup and receipt with the order #. I didn't have any time to spend, and I could have given him money, but I just felt led to do that.
And if you're just not comfortable trusting each situation to the spirit, that's understandable. It's a tough spiritual discipline I still struggle with. But as I spend more time each day with God in devotions and quiet time, I think that brings me just a little bit closer to the mind of God.
I was just thinking about this today as a homeless man approached me on the street. I shook my head 'No' as he asked for money and his response to my back as I walked away was "You're sure pretty on the outside, but not on the inside". I am genuinely afraid of this man as I have seen him multiple times and I'm usually a female walking down the street by myself. But that doesn't change the fact that between the Metro and my office in Washington DC, I walk by the same three homeless men every day. Sometimes I give, sometimes I don't and usually for varying reasons.
I always walk away from giving or not giving with the thought, "Should I be more consistent? Am I doing the right thing?". It's a tough question, and I don't really have a great opinion or answer. I like what Timmy says about the Holy Spirit. Maybe I just need to listen more...
Thanks for bringing up the discussion.
Jess Wittebols
Great post!
I've asked this question of numerous friends in Denver who run homeless shelters or other urban ministries and, without exception, they say to never, ever just give cash. They have countless stories of violence, addiction perpetuation, etc. which has resulted from cash gifts.
Christ calls us to be as gentle as lambs, but as shrewd as servants; and I believe that applies to our giving as well. We are called to give generously, but also to be discerning.
A great book on this subject is "When Helping Hurts" by Brian Fikkert--a must-read! Another great book on the subject is called "Under the Overpass" -- it is the story of a Christian college student who lived on the streets for a year. His main recommendation in the book is to affirm the humanity of any panhandler or homeless person who asks for money:
-Make eye contact
-Share that you aren't able to give any cash right now, but stop and address the person directly to do so
-Smile and share an encouraging word
So, that's the approach I use. Whenever possible when asked for money, I share that I am not able to but make eye contact and say hello. It is received remarkably well.
Great thoughts, Bret. I've wrestled a lot with this, and last summer I did my practicum with a homeless ministry in inner-city Los Angeles. I was working hands-on with the homeless every day, and I can honestly say there is not a formula for responding to them. There are 2 things I would say are consistently important:
1. Be led by the Spirit. It's a scary thought for a lot of Western Christians, but if we really learn to listen to the gentle whisper, we can see Jesus' face in the face of the homeless. This was a lot of Mother Teresa's philosophy while working with the poorest of the poor; that is, every person that she came across was Jesus in her mind. I think if we pictured Jesus sitting on the side of the road instead of just some random person, our methods would change.
2. Show them DIGNITY. When I worked in LA, the homeless men and women I talked to were often shocked that I would stop, sit down next to them, and actually ask them how they were doing. We have to remember that they are ignored 98% of the time. People won't even make eye contact. Even if we don't have money or feel comfortable giving money, we should stop and say hello and explain why. The best option, I think (and Bret you mentioned it), is to "invite them in" and eat dinner with them. Now, this doesn't mean you have to take them to your house. But I've tried to take some homeless men into McDonalds or IHOP or whatever food place is closest and order food with them. Instead of becoming objects of cheap charity, they become new friends with whom we share a meal. Breaking bread together was an important part of the early church's existence. Now obviously this isn't always possible because of our schedules, but occasionally we should be willing to eat with them if we do have the chance.
Another random lesson that I learned on the streets of LA is this: if you decide to stop and talk with a homeless person, don't stand over them if they're sitting down. Take the opportunity to sit next to them and talk. Standing over them is often degrading and doesn't show dignity. It's amazing how the walls come down when you're willing to sit on the ground with them. Also, don't be afraid to offer to pray with them. The homeless and the poor have more faith than anyone I have ever met. I was often blessed by the incredible faith of the homeless men and women I met. (It goes to show that riches blind our eyes to our need for Christ - see James 2).
In any case, I always think about Isaiah 58:1-10 (esp. v6-10) when it comes to these issues. When in doubt, show love and seek justice. Justice does not always mean charity, but it sometimes involves it. Our "worship" is incomplete if it does not involve caring for the poor (Amos 5).
Just so everyone can take in all of the responses, I want to share these comments from Twitter and Facebook:
"For me the first thing is to remind people that they are made in the image of God by knowing their name and their story. The second thing is to seek the Kingdom of God here on Earth as it will be one day...to me this means NONE goes hungry. Gibbons recently said let's stop counting people in our churches and start working towards ZERO...no poverty, no homeless, no oppressed."
"There is no "magic answer" to that one. But always check your motives, God looks at the heart. Am I being selfish or greedy, am I loving money? Food or money may be appropriate. Discernment of the situation is important, the attitude of the one asking, are they sober? etc.. When in doubt, I like to error on the side of giving."
I also want to draw attention to Chris Horst's blog at http://smorgasblurb.wordpress.com/
He brings up similar topics on social justice and giving.
Keep the thoughts coming and spread it to your friends. I'm going to chew on it a little more and post a response later.
Bret - looks like I'm the only bum that hasn't responded to this yet. Even the soon-to-be (now) father has graciously given you a ton of feedback. I'm grateful to read through your post and the subsequent feedback - the experts truly have gotten back to you and I've resonated with and appreciated their insight. I actually preached on this very topic at our young adult service this June when we did a series called "Conversations" - seeking to elevate the conversation towards love with four often marginalized communities: Immigrants, LGBT, Homeless and Other Religions.
I don't know how to link the manuscript of my message on here but I'll send it to you via email and you can share any or none of if that you would like. In essence, the two megathemes of the message were moving beyond charity to dignity and relationship.
One last thought about homelessness that has resulted from Amy and my move to Vancouver. This city is stunningly incredible but there is more widespread homelessness (and perhaps more obvious) here than in any city I've ever been before. As we were talking to our landlord over dinner the other night, he described two different types of homelessness in the city.
1) The "Main and Hastings" Homeless (roughest section of the city) - much (not all) of this homelessness results from the combination of mental illness and drugs. About 25 years ago Vancouver shut down alot of its mental health facilities due to a lack of funding. These facilities had problems of their own, but they did give people with mental illness who had nowhere else to go a bed and a place to stay.
At about the same time something else happened. Vancouver, being a port city, has a great deal of drugs coming through and about 25 years ago Cocaine was introduced in a major way to the city.
Put these two things together - mental illness and drugs and the result was Main/Hastings turning from a prosperous and thriving city center into much of what it is today ... a ghetto of the mentally ill homeless. This is a place the church must step into - but must do so intelligently. No amount of charity will turn around Main and Hastings. The social services that have been poured into that area over the past 25 years has increased dramatically - but the problem continues to spiral downward. Until overlapping networks of institutions properly create a healthier and more sustainable option for the mentally ill AND the drug problem is dealt with, Main and Hastings will be, well, Main and Hastings.
2) On the other side of the spectrum are the homeless in the neighborhood we live in - the Kitsilano section of Vancouver. According to our landlord, many (not all) of these people (primarily men) are incredible resourceful people who really would prefer to live on the streets. Vancouver, being a temperate climate year round, actually makes this type of lifestyle possible.
While this might be strange to me, I have to say that this actually reflects what I encounter on the streets. Amy and I have been walking everywhere (we don't have a car here), and the homeless we come across in our neighborhood really are different from what I encountered in Chicago, Milwaukee, etc. They sleep on blankets mid-day outside the public library, ride bikes looking for things of value to trade in, etc. As others have already said so eloquently, the real need with this community is not charity (just cash), but relationship, dignity, knowing their name, etc.
Thanks for your post and the subsequent discussion. It has been timely for Amy and I. What an opportunity to actually know someone's name and develop a relationship when we will (hopefully) see them on an almost daily basis.
Let me start my two cents with Matthew 26:11 and Mark 14:7. We will always have the poor with us, but we will not always have Jesus. There will always be adverse financial and social circumstances that prevent many people from attaining the comparibly luxurious lifestyles that anyone reading these blogs undoubtedly has. However, at the crux of the issue facing homelessness is a deeper issue to be addressed. Is the message of the Gospel merely a call for social and political reform? Or is it something deeper? When you answer that question, the issue changes. If the Gospel is merely a vehicle for social and political reform, the external issues are addressed and a temporary need is met. Until that need arises again and again and again. Is any real lasing change being done in advancing the Kingdom? Think of when Jesus preached to the vast crowds out by the Sea of Galilee when afterwards he fed them with only a few loaves and fish. The crowds continued to follow Him, but did he continue to address their needs? He told the crowds that the only reason they followed Him was because he fed them, they had no comprehension of the Truth. Are we doing this with the panhandler on the corner without ever addressing the real issues why he is on the corner in the firstplace?
Let us think of the story of Peter and John in Acts chapter 3. A crippled beggar asks them for money and they don't give it to him. Peter says, "silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you." What we have and what we have to offer is of priceless value. Do we offer it? It might have been in our society at some time in the past, a person would be less inclined to give of their money than another resource because they had very little or none. Whether or not that is accurate, this certainly is: currently in our society it is much easier to give money than time. It is easier for us to give a dollar and then proceed on our way feeling we have done a Christian deed than it is to share what prompts us to even think about giving money in the first place.
The Gospel as social and political reform or The Gospel as the Good News of the reconcilliation of man to God through the work of Jesus? Our response as authentic followers of Christ to the question of the homeless and panhandler depends on this.
Thanks to you who took the time to participate in the discussion. I appreciated the insights you were able to provide from previous experience/study. I have since read the book "When Helping Hurts" and posted follow-up thoughts on this blog. If you haven't seen them already: http://bretburchard.blogspot.com/2010/11/study-responding-to-homeless.html
Another great story and more discussion is anyone is still interested:
http://smorgasblurb.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/panhandling-pitfalls/#comment-338
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