How Should Christians Help the Homeless?
I heard a “cool” preacher discuss Micah 6:8 (And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God) who said that the application of the verse was that we should invite homeless people into our homes when we meet them. (Mind you, the homeless didn’t come up in the rest of his sermon so I was baffled as his meaningless storytelling and outpouring of bad jokes ended abruptly with this instruction.)
It’s tough to know what to do when we see a homeless person – but this advice does not help. You cannot afford to house and feed each homeless person you meet and you certainly cannot afford the risk of bringing them into your home. I wouldn’t have room to house even a small fraction of the homeless I come into contact with; so, what kind of a solution is this? Am I a person of no faith or no love because I do not even try? Not at all.
The answer is simply to provide help to homeless shelters. Some people give cash to beggars but they could help more of the homeless by giving that same amount of money to a charity. $10 in the hands of a single person won’t go far but $10 at Sam’s Club will actually do some good for more than one person.
I have donated time and money to the local charity Mission Arlington wherethe homeless are given medical treatment, food, and help finding a job and a new life.
Ever wonder if the homeless person is just going to spend the money on drugs or if he is really even homeless at all? Such cynicism keeps many from helping those in need but by giving to a local charity that has a well established reputation you can avoid this pitfall and let the professionals take care of it.
It may seem over simplified but it’s the best way. Don’t let the “cool” preacher give you a guilt trip about this subject, instead, help your neighborhood to build a house that can really help these people and get them off of the street.
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Perhaps we shouldn’t invite random strangers, homeless or otherwise, into our homes, but we are most certainly called to extend home to them. As you suggest, one of the most practical ways to do this is by serving.
I wonder if this hip homilist shepherds a large, wealthy flock. The reason I wonder this is because (that’s where all the cool kids go, and) the more you have, the more you have to loose. That being the case, what a thing to say, particularly to civil, surburban Christianity: a religion that values comfort and safty more than faith (risk) and charity (love).
Do I agree with him? Meh. Maybe if he practices what he preaches. Still, does that mean everyone ought to because he is? No. But perhaps everyone should be open to the possibility. Now that’s scary. Making ourselves available to the Spirit. It is for me anyway.
More generally than I agree with Mr. Cool, I agree with you. On the other hand, is it a bad idea to invite a homeless person into your home, perhaps on a regular basis, especially, perhaps, someone you see every day? Not necessarily. The fact of the matter is, while we have a responsibility to protect our loved ones, we are called to be risk-takers, people of faith. Giving to a shelter is a great idea; volunteering is a better one. Even so, there’s a danger in institutionalizing our “problems” as a society. We have this unfortunate habit of compartmentalizing our lives, and it’s a problem when we keep our home lives private rather than communal, especially in regard to the least of these.
Thanks for always thinking through Christianity with us, even when you’re on vacation.
I like your solution, Adam.
If you want to put yourself at risk for charity, consider spending time with the homeless where they hang out and showing acceptance and Christian love for the individual. (Which might open up the opportunity to invite a friend to your home for Thanksgiving….) Rounding up someone randomly on the street and taking them home is only a good kind of foolish if you feel a specific individual leading.
I’ll also point out that Jesus left the 5,000 on the other side of a lake because they were only interested in eating physical food.
True charity is about relationships.
I found just what I was needed, and it was engntrainiet!