Should
we give out handouts?
Answer: It Depends. Is your response Gospel driven?
Are you engaging the person? Are you
loving the person? Is the handout for the person? Or is it a quick fix that is
not for the person but instead is given to appease a guilty conscience? Is it
in communicating the Gospel?
A handout can be harmful, if not
partnered with the Gospel. Within the idea of justice is the idea of doing no
harm. And as we meet those who are in need, we don’t want to do them harm.
But to answer this question, we have
to think beyond the question, “Should we give out handouts?” If you are giving
a handout simply because it is an easy way out of a situation or because it
swages your guilt or it enables you to not have to engage the person, whether
or not it is harmful, the motive is wrong and dangerous. If this is your
motive, you are not partnering with the Gospel. And most of us have done this.
The proper question is, “How in this
moment of time and situation do I engage this person with the Gospel, which
will bring about justice and promote their good? How do can I ambassador of
Christ and call them to the Gospel, in this moment?” Sometimes that is not
giving a handout and at times it will be giving a handout. But always it will
be about presenting Christ. One of the reasons this question is hard is because
it cuts us to the heart. It is not the lack of handouts or the plenty of
handouts that are the problem. One of the reasons so many remain in
these conditions, is because people don’t truly engage them and become a part
of their lives. It is the fact that we are not engaging people on a personal
level with the Gospel that is the problem. Yes, sometimes giving out a handout
can be harmful, but that should challenge us to be more engaging, more loving,
and to preach the Gospel more, for this can overcome, even a handout given out
with false motives.
So the question will be, “Yes and
amen, I agree with all this and I want to engage more, but what about those
times when the interaction is brief?” The answer is the same - engage them with
the Gospel in that moment as best as you can. One time it may be best to give a
handout and another it might be devastating. Pray and let God walk with you and
teach you and help you to discern. You will make mistakes, both ways, but don’t
harden your heart and don’t stop loving. Keep pursuing to learn how to love in
these situations. Do not be afraid. Make a decision as best as you can, and
trust that God loves you and will use whatever you do (that is part of the
Gospel, too), even when you make mistakes. And talk with those in the
“household of faith”. Much of these practical situations and scenarios will be
learned as we walk together in our community to meet the specific needs that
are around us.
