While we’ve cautioned against categorizing people as “deserving” or “undeserving,” we still need to deal with the question of how to best help people who seem to hurt their own cause. The key here is balance.

First, when it comes to helping people who have a history of financial self-destruction, Christians tend to either be naïve or cynical (listen to my sermon on Spiritual Discernment, http://bit.ly/ih4l56). Some of us are so afraid of being called self-righteous or judgmental, we find ourselves again and again casting our pearls before swine. Rather than helping people, we find ourselves playing the part of enabler to their destructive behavior. At the other extreme is cynicism. We reach this point when we become judgmental and overly suspicious of people; we fail to see that God can change people just as he has us. Wherever the right balance is in the area of benevolence, it will exist between these two poles. Since we are called to be good stewards, we cannot be naïve. We must not bury our heads in the sand when we know that giving money to a certain cause is unwise and, at times, perhaps even destructive. However, we must not be cynical. We must think the best of people, believing that God will do a work of grace in their hearts.

How do we maintain this balance between naïveté and cynicism? First, we should look to the Gospel. The Gospel is neither naïve nor cynical. It not naïve in that it reveals our sins with brutal honesty. It is not cynical in that it teaches us that God’s grace can deliver. The Gospel keeps us from gravitating to these dangerous extremes. Second, we must discuss benevolence with the broader Christian community. Other Christians can be very helpful in pointing out our prejudices and helping us strike the right balance.

While it is important to talk about balance, we still need to pursue a practical way to help people who are economically self destructive. Once again, the Gospel informs our practice. Consider how God deals with us in the areas of justification and sanctification. Justification is the work of God (Rom. 3:20). It is unconditional. We do not participate in God declaring us righteous (can we get past the Calvinist/Arminian debates for a minute). However, sanctification involves cooperation. Now that we are justified by his grace, we are called to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Keller explains how this applies to benevolence:

When God’s grace first comes to us, it comes unconditionally, regardless of our merits. His mercy is ‘unconditional’ in that God calls us with the Gospel before we show any interest or desire for him (Rom. 3:9-18), while we are still enemies. But though God’s mercy comes without conditions, it does not proceed without conditions! God demands our cooperation in sanctification… He therefore demands cooperation with his mercy (Ministries of Mercy, 96).

How does this apply to giving to people who have self-inflicted financial wounds? Just as the first touch of God’s mercy comes to us without conditions, so should our benevolence. However, since his mercy does not proceed without cooperation, neither should our financial help. Churches should be generous in giving to financial needs, but at some point, we must demand that people respond to this help.