Today in the News Feed on Face book I saw a picture of a man with sun glasses on, sitting on a sidewalk. He had a sign in front of him declaring that he was blind and needed help. In front of him was a bowl full of money, that had been filled by compassionate people who wanted to help him. The man was in his twenties and was looking through his sunglasses, at an iphone checking his e-mail.

We used to receive calls for our little chapel at our home because no one was at the building all week. All of the calls we received were people asking for their electric and water bills to be paid. They had used their money for cigarettes, cable tv, cell phones and others things that were unnecessary.

One day I got one of these calls from a woman who was lamenting the fact that her electricity was turned off and her children were cold. I reminded her that it was August, the temperature outside was over 80 and that if she would just open her windows she could warm up the house. Yes, there are clues about the scammers and liars that we can discern easily if we can get past misplaced compassion.

Often I would tell the beggars on the phone, that they had a greater need than electricity and water, and that was the gospel, then I would proceed to tell them their need of repentance, showing them that they had just lied to me about "needing", when all they wanted was to be carried by others for their needs while enjoying pleasures with the money they had. I knew that all the callers were in this condition because I would ask them certain questions that revealed their condition.

Most of the time I never got more than a few sentences when they would hang up on me. Why do so many people think that "the church", should pay for their needs, when they are just too irresponsible to use the money they have wisely?

I never figured out this, "the church should foot the bills for me" mentality. One woman called me a devil because, after giving her the gospel, I attempted to counsel her on how to manage her money.

Manipulation is a huge part of the picture with those who will attempt to separate you or the church from your money and goods.

I will give a person a lunch, some advise and even comfort, but I do not give money if there is any hint that they are lazy and irresponsible. It is a pleasure to me to be able to help those who want to learn how to manage their money, but I have little tolerance for those who would fight against doing what is right.

We have all made mistakes in the managing of our money at times, but most of us do not go begging for someone else to bail us out, we learn from our missteps and begin again on a different and better path. Everyone needs to learn how to manage money, it is the rebellion against the learning that aggravates me.

May the Lord give us discernment in our giving, that we not enable beggers to continue in the fleecing of others. Perhaps we need to remember too that sometimes we don't give to someone to help them as much as we like to feel proud of ourselves that we did.

When we care more about the well being of others than our own good feelings, then we can rightly discern what is best for a person, not what makes them happy temporarily.

Many people in our culture do not have a need for goods, they simply manage what they have so badly that they waste away the funds that should be designated for needs in favor of pleasures.




Discernment is the key and the gospel is always needed in these cases. Never neglect to speak of the Lord when dealing with these people. Their greatest need is that they repent and trust Christ. God can fix all the ills in a person's life when they submit to Him.