Don’t Feed the Beggars!!!

Oh boy…the bleeding-hearts are going to get me now…


I see it every Friday night, when I go street preaching. Someone will hear me preaching the Gospel, feel some measure of conviction and will desperately look around for a way out. The way out usually comes in the form of a filthy, alcohol smelling, frost bitten man sitting on the sidewalk begging for money. The “someone” then makes his way to the panhandler, gives him some change, and then feels much better about himself. He thinks:

-I’m not a bad person! Look at how compassionate and caring I am! If there is a God to answer to, this will score me some points.

The beggar gladly accepts the money and will sometimes feed the “someone’s” false sense of justification by giving a heartfelt:

-God bless you man!

Fast forward a few hours, and who do I see walking down the street, drunk (or doped) out of his mind on cheap wine (or bad drugs)? You got it! The beggar.

It is time that North Americans realize that we are not a poor country, and the people who call themselves poor here, are incredibly rich compared to their counterparts in the rest of the world. The sad fact of the matter is, most beggars in our streets (I say most, there are rare exceptions) are there because of addiction and wickedness, not because of some bad luck or some other sob story.

Another thing we need to realize is that despite their addictions and wickedness, THEY ARE LOOKED AFTER! I’ve dealt with a lot of homeless/street folks in my ministry, and let me affirm, I have yet to have met one who weighed less than myself. How can this be? Because the “Mission” down the street feeds, clothes, and provides shelter for them.

Don’t be a fool. Don’t supply funds for these people self-destruction. It would be sin to do so.