October 26, 2026
Honesty and Beggars
How much should Christians trust street beggars? Mathew 25:34 -40 says, “34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’”
Clearly, we are told to have compassion and mercy and give to those who are less fortunate. We read a lot of reports about scammers leaving their rainy street corner, jumping into their Lexus and driving to a mansion. My Pastor made the topic easy for us. He said, if God tells you to give, just give. The rest of that transaction is between God and the panhandler.
According to the Internet, panhandling may be visible on street corners, but the demographics and incentives behind it are harder to ignore. In major US cities, 45% of panhandlers are under 35, and 70% of donations reportedly go toward alcohol or drugs. Health, housing, and enforcement policies shape how people stay afloat, and spending on enforcement reaches about $2B per year in city budgets. This is not a sustaining lifestyle for most people. Cities cannot give endlessly into such a hopeless economy.
This information does little to help us make a righteous decision. Yet we are required to be obedient to God. Pray. Ask God for guidance. And until you get a better answer, do your best. I will continue to give when God says to give and believe He has all the rest of the details covered.
This reminds me of all the white collar beggars who make camp in our bills and invoices, charging numerous unannounced fees, penalties and hidden costs. Ask God to bridle these costs too. One of my daily prayers is that the ‘bad guys’ will begin to give back the money they have taken in ways that are suspect. Just ask God to bless you so completely you will never give to a scammer on the streets or in your mailbox!
Father God, Thank You for being the God of my finances. In these times of inflation, extreme gas prices and escalating everything, please protect my finances so I can continue to bless others through my tithes and offerings. Desperate times can make people make risky decisions. Protect me from crime and theft. Help me smile and be generous to those in need, no matter what. Thank You, Dear Father, for allowing me to pass safely though the dark and treacherous places.
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Ephesians 4:28