Hand Out or Hand Up?

We have a social situation that seems to be getting worse and worse in our town. We are seeing more and more beggars and panhandlers. I have a social dilemma where these people are concerned and am wondering if you feel it too. On the one hand I want to help and on the other hand it is upsetting. Let me explain.

I know that in the scriptures it says we should give to the poor. I am all for that and try to do that in a bunch of different ways. What I don't like is being approached in the grocery store parking lot which has happened to me several times over the past few months, or being approached at the gas stations which has also happened to me since gas prices skyrocketed in the past year.

I had a guy beg me for some gas as he approached me with a gas container. He told me he was just down the street and had run out of gas and that he needed just a little gas to get his car up to the station. He was nicely dressed, about 45 years old and looked like a guy in a tight spot. So when I finished fueling I let him put some gas in his container. My first clue that he was a swindler should have been the five gallon container he carried. So then he started engaging me in conversation and madly trying to fill up his container. Finally I caught on and said, "Hey, I don't mind giving you some gas but I am not filling up your entire $25.00 container! He then started in with the "God bless you mam, etc," without removing his hand from the lever on the hose. Finally I had to get nasty. He quit fueling and left singing my praises. I decided to follow him and found him putting the gas into his parked car that was in an adjoining parking lot of the store next door. I rolled down my window and told him how sad he was and how people like him made it very difficult for people like me to trust. I also told him how what he had done not only hurt him but people in my future who might truly be in need.


On the other hand there was a time when I walked by a guy sitting out in front of the post office asking for money and I walked past him and something told me to go back and give him money. I only had a 20 dollar bill so I gave it to him and it felt right. So what is the answer?

Yesterday the guy that approached me in the Safeway parking lot was actually working the area. After I refused him money he picked up a cart and proceeded to head back towards the store to find another person to hit up.

I guess the more annoying thing is all these things happened in broad day light in very nice areas. What the answer is I don't know ~maybe just taking it on a case by case basis and letting your intuition or the spirit guide you. I almost like the honest ones better like the guy in this picture saying he needs money for beer.

That settles it for me. No dice, buddy. But the ones where you don't know for sure...they are the disturbing ones. How do you handle it?


photos as seen on flickr