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3rd April 2025
ThursdayReflection
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"John Piper"
Founder & Teacher, Desiring God
"Should we, as Christians,
give to people begging
on the street?"
Matthew 5 v 41-42
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For the last 33 years, I have faced it almost every day.
Here is my answer as of right now, and it is what I think is biblical.
Should you give to those who ask, whether they are knocking at your door or asking on the street?
My answer is usually, yes. Usually, the default should be yes.
"My reflex is anger. My reflex is, 'get a life', and I think that is a sinful reflex."
Here is my reason.
Selfishness is so dominant in my heart.
I am reflexively hard toward this person.
He makes me mad. I want to say, "Get a job."
But I have not even entered into his story.
I am not interested in his condition.
My reflex is anger.
I do not think that is godly for me to respond that way.
I think that is the old nature creeping up in me.
I think that is the reason Jesus said the radical things he did in Matthew.
He says,
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
You can imagine how hard that is.
I hate to be slapped on the cheek.
And Jesus says, "Turn the other cheek," because he knows that would be a miracle.
That would be a miracle in me if I turned the other cheek and had some sense of compassion for this person.
And then he adds,
"And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well."
So, we know we are being ripped off.
A lot of people say, "Yeah, but he is ripping me off."
Well, of course you are being ripped off.
You know it.
Look at Matthew 5:41-42,
"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."
"Our default should be to give.
Risk being ripped off rather than shrewd enough to say, 'I didn't get ripped off.'"
I have never slept well reminding myself how shrewd I was for not being ripped off.
I have often slept well thinking, ok, I will probably get taken advantage of, but my heart was right today.
I don't think giving to the one who asks is the only way Jesus means for us to love people.
If someone is there and I don't have time to do anything else, I think I should just give.
If I have time to do more, I want to have a conversation.
I want to say,
"You know, I have found in this neighbourhood that just giving money really doesn't help people.
I want to help you. What do you really need?"
"Oh, I need a bus trip to get over to St. Paul to see my mum."
I say, "Well, look, I'll take you."
"No, I don't want you to take me."
That is a huge commitment to say,
"I will take you. Get in the car."
I have gotten in the car at 10 o'clock at night and driven people over to North Minneapolis, and I know that they tell me to let them out and it's nowhere.
I know I have been taken advantage of because they were trying the whole drive to get what they wanted.
But when I get home, I sleep well.
Instead of saying,
"You idiot, it is 10 o'clock at night. Why are you knocking on my door?
Get out of here. Come back in the morning."
If I do that, I go back up and think, what was that?
That was pure flesh to respond like that.
I suppose the short answer is our default should be to give.
Then do more if you can.
In some cases say,
"No money, but I will take you and get you the food you need.
I will get you the diapers you need.
I will get you where you need to go,
but I don't think it is wise for me to give you money."
><(((°>
This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
"John Piper"
is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary.
For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy.
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