Do you still give?

[JustaLady.]

Hey ya'll!

I had a thought on my mind i thought might be a good discussion (hopefully). 

Does the bible say anything about giving to those who take advantage of your kindness?

Lets say they said they're struggling financially but they're actually not, they just wanted extra cash to treat themselves, things like that.

Thoughts? I would love to see scriptures too in how the bible addresses this.

I know it says to give, but what if we are being taken advantage of?

Gbu all and hope your day is going well!

[Sower]

2 hours ago, JustaLady. said:

Does the bible say anything about giving to those who take advantage of your kindness?

"And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you"           Matthew 5:

[George]

2 hours ago, JustaLady. said:

Hey ya'll!

I had a thought on my mind i thought might be a good discussion (hopefully). 

Does the bible say anything about giving to those who take advantage of your kindness?

Lets say they said they're struggling financially but they're actually not, they just wanted extra cash to treat themselves, things like that.

Thoughts? I would love to see scriptures too in how the bible addresses this.

I know it says to give, but what if we are being taken advantage of?

Gbu all and hope your day is going well!

Honestly, this is something that happens more often than not for those who are generous.  There does come a point, where you can be 'enabling' someone instead of 'helping' someone. 

What I've done is switch the means by how I bless them ... invite them to dinner, or make them a meal.   Or give them a job they can do around the house for cash they need.  Bottomline, it happens ... and sometimes it's difficult to navigate especially with brothers and sisters in the Lord!

[Starise]

2 hours ago, JustaLady. said:

Hey ya'll!

I had a thought on my mind i thought might be a good discussion (hopefully). 

Does the bible say anything about giving to those who take advantage of your kindness?

Lets say they said they're struggling financially but they're actually not, they just wanted extra cash to treat themselves, things like that.

Thoughts? I would love to see scriptures too in how the bible addresses this.

I know it says to give, but what if we are being taken advantage of?

Gbu all and hope your day is going well!

This can be a real struggle.

Wisdom is needed.

[The_Patriot21]

If the Lord leads then yes...but many people forget giving isn't just money. If someone is taking advantage of money given them perhaps it's time to give them your time and wisdom instead.

 

 

 

 

[Wayne222]

It's not helping to them if they are really not in need. If I was sure of that then a no would be the right thing 

[AnOrangeCat]

Like others have pointed out, if God is leading you then do it. But otherwise be cautious. I've come to realize that sometimes indulging people in this can be harmful. There's obvious cases like when they're going to blow it on drugs and alcohol and then less obvious cases where a person needs to change something about their life, but giving to them just helps them stay in a comfortable status quo. Sometimes we need discomfort to help us grow and motivate us.

I personally don't mind occasionally being taken advantage of every now and then. Back when I had my trial by fire I wished people would have given me the benefit of a doubt so there's an element of do unto others as you would have them do until you in there. But for long term support or big expenditures? I'd rather give where I feel it will be used efficiently for God's purposes.

[Neighbor]

If one gives and yet wants an accounting then it wasn't a gift at all.

It may instead be an investment, which demands accounting. And it may also be that the richer ends up ruling over the poorer and the poorer becomes enslaved.

Better not to give at all if one is going to then demand an accounting after a gift is received. If an accounting is  to be required, then sign an agreement with the demands duties and privileges spelled out from the outset, never calling it a gift.

Better yet, don't let the left hand know of the right at all. Refuse it's call for accounting and what the right is doing. If the right gives out assets let that be it's own delightful reward- like eating an ice cream, one enjoys it for it's momentary pleasure and then moves on never giving it another thought.

[Neighbor]

Further: I guess  I tend to think of what  is given as coming from God in the first place and if He moves us to pass it along in an eleemosynary fashion, well isn't that nice fun! May He be praised by us.

[Neighbor]

VERY INTERESTING: That the English language versions have a variance in them newer version dropping the word openly.

Reward you openly versus reward you.

To me openly  might pertain to now and being aware of the giving. The dropping of the word now seems to make it a much more quiet thing. One  where God uses his vessels without any fanfare. It just happens, and life moves along the event not being dwelled upon nor necessarily remembered thus freeing the give from chance of the gift the charity  in love becoming a troubling matter of what was done with the gift.

Maybe it just refers to the momentary good feeling one may get when God provides the means to share openly with another person.