To Give or not to Give . . . what is the deciding factor?

2/13/10 12:08 AM
Uganda; Day 45

From a biblical standpoint, when if ever, is it ok not to give when someone in need asks something of you?

In the states you have the occasional beggar, or homeless person that will ask for money. If you go to any homeless shelter training they will tell you not to give money but to give food, or supplies. That’s understandable, you want to know that you’re actually helping the person, not contributing to his/her addictions. But in the states, you can ask a person what their need is and provide it, without dealing with a language barrier, or a different culture full of unknowns.

Now I’m in Uganda, every time I step out of the home I’m faced with the needy, the sick, the hungry, the least of these. . . the training books tell you while your on a mission trip keep things in perspective, know and understand that you can’t remove poverty from the world. On a large scale I understand that, there will always be poverty. However, not being able to remove poverty from the entire world, or even one country doesn’t mean that you can’t meet the needs of those within your reach. That brings me to a question, every verse I’ve read in the Bible about giving, says to give without reluctance. To give to the poor. Paul tells us we don’t have to give to the point of having nothing, but to give that their may be equality. So if all of these verses say to give, to not worry about the possessions you have on this earth, but to know that by giving to the needy you are storing up treasures in heaven. Where have all the training books, and people come up with all the rules on giving? Are they rules of the world, or rules from other verses in the bible that I’m not familiar with? Are we following the commandments that we’ve been given, or changing them to fit into our culture? Is it up to us to take control in deciding what is best for the people in need who are asking for money, food, etc? Or are we to depend on the verses below and know that God is in control of every situation, and that we are simply called to give.

I want to hear thoughts on this, leave a comment or shoot me an email.

Matthew 5:42 (New King James Version)
Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Matthew 10:42 (New King James Version)
And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Matthew 19:21 (New King James Version)
Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Luke 12:33 (New King James Version)
Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

2 Corinthians 8:8-14 (New King James Version)  
8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.

2 Corinthians 9:6-9 (New King James Version)
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:

      “ He has dispersed abroad,
      He has given to the poor;
      His righteousness endures forever.”