Should We Give to Beggers?
November 2nd, 2007This was an interesting question that was brought up to my attention recently. It would seem pretty common sense to believe that giving to the less fortunate would be the right thing to do.
But have you thought whether or not your good intentions were actually doing more harm than good? Do you ever think about how a certain person becomes homeless? Was it a financial disaster? Was it due to mental or physical illness? Was it because they lost everything to gambling, drugs, or alcohol?
Now, having thought of these questions in your head, do you still think it would be good to give to a begger? I think this is a tough question to answer without knowing the history of a person’s life. Most of us have good intentions, but sometimes our intentions may not lead to good results. For example, would you feel good about giving money to a begger who says he needs money for food, but in actuality, he/she is raising money to get a quick fix (drugs, alcohol)? Obviously not, but how are we to know without knowing about their situation?
There are also those beggers who became homeless due to circumstances beyond their control. These are the people that really need assistance, but our society has become so skeptical that we’re not sure who to help. This has been my main hurdle as well, but my skepticism goes beyond that. I once worked at a place where a homeless guy used to come in with a thick wad of cash. He had dirty clothes, and smelled, and always walked around the neighborhood pushing a basket cart.
On another occasion, I gave $10 to someone who I thought was a homeless begger, but he ended up being a con-artist who owned a brand new Mercedes-Benz. I saw the guy getting into his car the following day.
Despite it all, I do occasionally give to a begger. I usually follow my instincts. It’s the best anyone can do.
