Enabling Addictions

There's been a lot of concern lately about giving to pan-handlers and enabling their addictions. I'm thinking, hey, the guy lives in a hovel under a bridge - let him get drunk. I'd want to stay drunk too. But still, it's that whole enabling thing, isn't it?

You know, it's too bad we don't have some clear teaching from the bible on this subject, something that spells out exactly how we should feel about giving to a homeless person who smells boozy. Something, like, oh, I don't know... Proverbs 31: 6 - 7, perhaps?

Make of that what you will.

Oh, and verses 8 and 9 are worth reading also. Don't see too many folks agonizing over those.  And yes, I am a little sarcastic lately, thank you very much.

We now resume our regular programming.

Comments

[wilsonian]

I don't think we have any idea of how hard it is to actually sleep on the streets. Cold/snow/rain/sleet, street lights, traffic passing/stopping/honking ten feet from your head, people passing and talking... not to mention the pain that swirls constantly in the head and heart.

I can tell you without reservation that if I were homeless, I'd drink too.

[anonymous]

Sarcastic or not, this post is priceless.

[Mike]

We all have our own ways to numb the pain. Some people take drugs. Your guy drinks under a bridge. I go to the mall. The only difference is my addiction is legal and good for the economy, and what our culture is based on, come to think of it.

[joanee]

I too give to panhandlers ,but because Im doing it for Jesus I look for the largest bill in my purse .Should you only give spare change in His name ? Sometime when you are past being irritated lol I will say what I feel about choices and staying a victim.

[~m2~]

this.
is.
freaking.
priceless.

and you have Scripture to back it up.

(looking forward to Joanee telling us how she really feels....)

[joanee]

Well seeing you ask --- I wonder why a person that has been a victim of abuse or some other tradgedy will chose to stay a victim ,when others will use their experiences to not let themself be held a victim the rest of their life .Some will use the horror of what they went through to help others overcome what they went or are going through .Im old enough to have known people who were in concentration camps in the war,tortured ,raped ,you name it they went through it ,yet returned to civilization and became useful citizens .Was it because they were not going to give the natzies one more bit of power over them,or because no one was there for them ,they had to make a go of it on their own .In my own life I could have chose the bottle and lived under a bridge too but I was determined to go ahead.We cant and shouldnt walk away from our duties no matter how many valleys we have to climb out of.Life is hard for a lot of us .I dont feel I am braver or better or stronger than others Im just the opposite :the coward of the county'I am not judging those that choose to take their easy way out by hiding in drugs and alcohol ,I just dont understand their choice but would not turn my back on them.For whatever reason they choose to remain victims .Maybe I have seen too much pain and suffering in cancer wards where people are begging for a chance to live.I know the key to life is Jesus and as His word says I can do all things through Christ.and many of these people do not know Jesus but it is also amazing how many claim to.Again I get back to its all about choices and am covering my ears so dont yell at me lol. Okay M2 I have vented

[[rhymes with kerouac]]

wilsonian - Yup. Me too.

anonymous - Sarcasm seems to be a little too easy lately. I'm kinda thinkin' 'bout that.

Mike - Oh... Retail Therapy. That works, eh?

joanee - I may only be annoyed for a day or too. I may be annoying forever.It's kind of like my gift.

~m2~ I calls 'em as I sees 'em. And how'd you get to be my mom's favourite, anyway?

joannee - I have no idea why some people rise above and some people don't. I see it all the time at work. I think it's a spectrum, and there are some folks who play the victim card whenever they can, some who simply don't know a way out of their pain, and some who wake up one day and say, "I'm not going to live like this anymore." I really don't get it either.

There was a guy named Don who used to comment here. He worked at a Rescue Mission in Nashville and once said the same thing you did - that a some people choose to be victims. I realize now how very right he was, too.

[~m2~]

wow joanee, that was really powerful and i believe very true. i also think it is really dependent upon will and their desire to rise above and beyond. i don't believe anyone would deliberately choose to remain a victim; they may not have ever been given the tools to accept where they were and be encouraged to move forward. i have a friend who is like that: she is literally fighting for her life and it is all based on what she had to deal with her entire childhood -- abusive parents who are still entangled in their junk and passing it onto her through passive aggressive actions. she is still trying and i give major props for that.

wow, that was long-winded but i am hoping understandable. rwk, you know mom always has to have her favorites ;)

[Anna]

Those are good scriptural supports, thanks.

[HeyJules]

I came to just leave a simple smiley face for RWK because this post is priceless, but then I realized Priceless was the name of my pastor's weekly message this week and it is part of a six week message series about moving from being a victim to being a victor (just as Christ did.)

(Gotta love when God lines all those parallels up for the more simple minded among us, right?)

Anyway, his series has been outstanding and the one thing I have taken away from it that has changed my own morbid life is this: "Victims look down and live in the horror of their past. Victors look up (to God) and forward to His redemption of that horror."

Why some people overcome their tragedies and others don't, I cannot say - but it appears that having a faith-filled perspective can have quite a lot to do with it.

Oh, and here's your smiley face RWK
;-D

[Heidi Renee]

The prophet speaks! Whoa unto you yuppie and suited one! Great challenge - I will be using this gleefully!

[Jill]

I guess my response to Joanee is this - why do you assume that being an addict is "taking the easy way out"? Is wasn't for me.

[Julana]

Gave me a smile and something to think about.

[tonia]

oh. my. goodness. I love this post.

I can't wait to pull out that Scripture.

*air kiss* You are the best, rwk.

[gypsywoman]

People say sarcasim is the lowest form of humor. I do not consider myself low, but gee, it just makes a point so well. I would add "Judge not lest ye be judged" and to "do unto others..." and act accordingly. I believe in the power of prayer, so praying for the alcoholic or drug addicted homeless person might be more effective then worrying if one is "enabling" them.

[Tara]

WOW. How come I never seen THAT before??