Nougat 16

There they were again

The panhandlers, professional beggars, who prey on others without compunction. I ignore them most times, because I don’t believe that they are genuine. And every once in a while, today’s Holy Nougat comes to mind … How about you?

“Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭41‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Kind To The Poor?

While writing the introduction, I thought of the social experiment that is trending on TikTok – you know the ones – beggars who are philanthropists in disguise. It is easy to wonder why people turn away or ignore them, staged or not, for on film it seems so heartless. But when poverty is cheapened to professional begging, it is easy to be hardened to real needs. In the same way, it seems that every act of giving must now be publicized or it hasn’t happened.

Is that what God wants for us? To become immune to genuine poverty to insist on news coverage when we give?

Isaiah 58 reminds us, as does Micah 6, that even our response to poverty is to be part of our relationship with Jesus. It is our recognition that we were poor in spirit and are heirs to the riches of Heaven that pushes us to give to others in need. And it doesn’t always have to be money.

Remember the miracle with Peter and John at Gate Beautiful (Acts 3:1-11) – they had no money to offer the poor lame man. But what they gave him was worth much more. They restored his health. The hungry mass who went to see/hear Jesus – they needed Jesus more than money. The widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17) needed her son to live more than she needed money, for her money was tied up in him being alive.

Giving to the poor requires discernment. 1. What is the real need: be it money, healing, shelter, compassion, protection, representation, or rescue (it’s believed that some beggars are victims of trafficking).

2. What response is required: personal interventions, representation, healing, food, clothing or shelter … and the list goes on

3. How is God expecting us to act: prayer and …? For prayer can be an assurance that one is seen. But when giving to the poor, God might require us to be more proactive than praying and leaving the person with their problems. It might be about us using our influence to help; not just about our finances.

There’s also the JOY element (Jesus first, Yourself last, and Others in between). Or, as the KJV puts it, ‘Blessed’. Can we find JESUS in our giving? Will placing ourself last make us the poor and needy? Which Others (‘poor’) do we need to consider in our interactions? And what’s our motive – generosity or personal mobility?

May our giving be blessed by God and be for God’s glory.

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May all we seek be found in Christ