“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” — Proverbs 19:17
As Christians, we’re called to care for the poor. But what should we do when someone asks us for money on the street? Should we give cash? Offer food? Keep walking? And how do we show compassion without causing harm?
Dr. David W. Jones joins us to help answer those questions. He’s a senior professor of Christian ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he has written extensively on moral, theological, and financial issues. He also completed his PhD with a focus on Christian financial ethics.
According to Dr. Jones, the Bible is clear: God’s people should never be indifferent to poverty. Jesus says, “Give to the one who begs from you” (Matthew 5:42), and 1 John 3:17 warns against closing our hearts to a brother in need.
But the harder question is not whether we should care. It is how we should care wisely.
Start With the Heart
When we see someone asking for help, our first instinct may be suspicion. We may assume the person is lazy, addicted, unwilling to work, or responsible for their situation.
But before deciding what to give, we should examine our own hearts.
Dr. Jones describes this as the danger of being “middle class in spirit”—quietly believing we have what we have because we worked hard, while the person in need must have failed. But Jesus calls us to be “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). The gospel reminds us that God did not wait for us to deserve His mercy. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
That does not mean every request should be met with cash. But it does mean every person should be met with dignity.
Compassion Requires Wisdom
Giving cash directly to someone on the street is not necessarily wrong, but it may not always be the best way to help. If the money is used to support addiction or another destructive habit, our gift could unintentionally cause harm.
Christian love seeks the good of the other person. That means generosity should be guided by wisdom, not guilt or impulse.
One practical option is to offer non-cash help. You might keep granola bars, bottled water, or other simple items in your car. When possible, you could offer to buy a meal. These small acts can meet a real need while reducing the risk of enabling harm.
The goal is not to create a rigid rule, but to ask: What is the most loving and responsible way to help in this situation?
Do What You Can With What You Know
In a brief encounter, you probably will not know someone’s full story. You may not know whether their poverty is connected to job loss, addiction, illness, abuse, poor choices, or circumstances beyond their control.
God does not require us to know everything. He calls us to be faithful.
That means preparing ahead of time, responding with compassion, and helping in the wisest way available. Sometimes that may be food. Sometimes it may be a meal. Sometimes it may be directing someone to a local ministry or shelter equipped to provide deeper care.
Think Beyond the Moment
Some needs require immediate aid. Others require long-term involvement.
If someone is suffering because of a disaster or emergency, immediate help may be exactly what is needed. But when poverty is tied to addiction, exploitation, family breakdown, or long-term instability, a developmental approach is often more effective.
That may involve relationships, accountability, recovery, job assistance, counseling, and support from a local church or ministry.
Most of us cannot meet every need on our own. But we can support trusted ministries that serve the homeless and poor with both compassion and structure.
Start With What Is Closest
The needs around us can feel overwhelming. Hunger, homelessness, addiction, and povert
