07 Nov Wise Stewardship or Abundant Generosity?

A homeless man stops you on the sidewalk and asks you for money. He says he has three kids that are going to go hungry tonight if he doesn’t get enough money to feed them. The reality is he looks terrible and smells like alcohol. Do you give him money and possibly support an addiction, or do you withhold and appear ungenerous?

Many of us have been in a situation similar to this one, and as Christians we are often unsure of how to respond. Throughout Scripture, we are commanded to steward the gifts God has given us (1 Peter 4:10, Luke 16). Our blessings are a gift from God and we are not to waste them foolishly (Proverbs 13:22, 22:7, 21:20). At the same time, we are to be abundantly generous, just as God is abundantly generous with us. (Deuteronomy 15:7-11, John 3:16). So how do we reconcile wise stewardship with the teaching, “Give to everyone who begs from you” in Luke 6:30? Is Scripture contradicting itself? Are we supposed to give to every homeless person we see on the street? Are we supposed to only give to individuals and organizations we have sufficiently investigated?

To answer these questions, we must make several distinctions:

First, poverty is the result of broken systems, broken people, and broken environments. It is important to have an in-depth understanding of the origin according to each situation in order to respond wisely.

Second, we need to distinguish between immediate needs, such as emergencies that require immediate relief, and long-term needs, which require development and relationship, not relief.

Third, we need to remember that we will not be able to create a perfect system here on earth that will completely solve the issues of injustice and poverty.  But this does not mean we grow weary of doing good, refuse to give to those in need, or choose not to fight injustice. Our sanctification as believers is a long, slow walk in a forward direction. The same can be said in regards to seeking justice for the poor and vulnerable. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Fourth, our motivation for helping is not primarily to make ourselves feel or look good. We are called to help “the least of these” because we are “the least of these” saved by God’s grace. We all live in spiritual poverty and our motivation for serving is not from a place of superiority, but of equality.

So how do we reconcile wise stewardship with Jesus’ teaching on generosity in Luke 6:30? The answer lies in a holistic interpretation of Scripture. Sometimes we find seemingly irreconcilable ideas existing side-by-side. Love and Justice. Hope and Suffering. Generosity and Stewardship. But these concepts aren’t meant to be understood in opposition. We are to be bothgenerous and wise stewards.

In times of emergency when immediate relief is needed, we are to act quickly, without hesitation, and with abundant generosity. As we build relationships or begin to fight systemic injustice, we are to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. When long-term development is the needed response, our focus is not on providing for an immediate need, but creating sustainable solutions, in relationship, leading to lasting change. Development requires that we walk alongside those we are trying to help, enduring their hardship and recognizing there will be challenges and setbacks along the way.

How should I give? To whom should I give? When should I give? There are not easy answers to these questions. Instead, we must trust the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom on when to act generously and to give us discretion to know when stewardship is the best response.

For an in-depth discussion on these ideas, pick up a copy of When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert.

– Taylor Beard