While I was at work one day, someone came through the drive thru, ordered 2 sandwiches and a drink, and then pulled over and gave it to a homeless man on the sidewalk. I thought that was pretty neat, and I shared it on Facebook. Here's my post.
"Guy buys 2 sandwiches and a drink at Wendy's and gives it to a homeless guy on the sidewalk. Matthew 25:40 in action."
One of my friends made a comment that got me thinking. Not that I agreed with his comment, or could be persuaded in my thinking by it, but it got the wheels in my mind turning a little. Here's his comment.
"I will get them food, but I refuse to give them money. I have a friend who owns a drywall business, and everytime he sees someone with a sign, he pulls his work truck over and invites them to get in and work for the day and he offered them $25/hour for a days work. He has yet to have one take him up on the offer."
Now, I don't always have food to give, or time to get food to give, so whenever I see someone holding a sign or in need, I give them money if I have it. But I've never thought about refusing to give money unless they worked for it first. That got me thinking, what would the Savior expect us to do?
I'm sure we've all read the dozens and dozens of scriptures that tell how blessed we will be if we consider the poor. The Scriptures are filled with counsel concerning this matter, and it always seems to say "give to the poor and I will give to you." But should there be a condition on whether we give or not? Should we verify that they've earned, or that they deserve what we have to give before we give it to them?
Mosiah 4
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
Did God verify that we deserved everything we have before He gave it to us? No, He simply gave it out of love. But does that mean He expects us to do the same? What about those who choose not to work, or choose to take the easy way out by sitting on a corner with a sign collecting thousands of dollars a year while the rest of us are working to earn a living? Jesus died for sinners, not because He had to, but because He chose to out of love. Did the men who crucified Him deserve for Him to plead with the Father to forgive them? Heck no, but He did it anyway. So what does the Savior expect us to do?
John 13
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
But what does this have to do with giving to those who may or may not be in need? Remember Mosiah 4:19, we're all beggars, and He gives to us regardless. Well, here's the context of that scripture.
16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just
18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.
21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.
22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.
23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.
Bottom line, if God gives us what we need whether we deserve it or not, whether we work for it or not, what right do we have to deny the beggar when we have means to give? God doesn't make us work for him before he gives us the things we need, and all He asks of us is to do the same for each other. "Love one another as I have loved you" literally means love regardless whether you feel they deserve it, just as He did for us.
Note: To those Bible believing Christians who might overlook the Scriptures I listed simply because most of them are from the Book of Mormon, which your don't consider scripture, I encourage you to do a quick search for "Poor" in your Bible, and you will see many verses that clearly say the same things I listed from the Book of Mormon. The only difference is the Book of Mormon goes into greater depth to give a better understanding of the subject. No matter what book of Scripture you look in, you'll find that Jesus did not say to give only what and when you feel is deserved, but rather to give selflessly, not for gain, and not expecting anything in return.
Matthew 25
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
