I’ve noticed that whenever the discussion turns to helping people, there’s always someone who takes the most narrow, materialistic definition of ‘helping people.’ I assume that ‘helping people’ in your mind is limited to ‘giving stuff to people.’

So your question is essentially, “If by giving stuff to legitimately needy people I accidentally give stuff to lazy people, so what? How is that worse than giving stuff to no one?”

I know the question is intended to silence people (like me) who possess the audacity to criticize your good works. But, since you’ve already labeled my position as ‘contemptible’ and ‘ungenerous,’ there’s no risk of losing your respect so I’ll go ahead and answer your self-righteous, rhetorical question.

You do not have an infinite amount of stuff to give away. Every time you give stuff to a lazy person, a legitimately needy person gets nothing. You didn’t pause to consider the possibility that you didn’t help ANY legitimately needy people. You have no idea whether or not you ‘helped someone’ or got duped by a clever criminal. That should sufficiently answer your, “So what?”

You are in this situation because you didn’t do the hard work of discriminating between legitimate needy people and con-artists. You ‘accidentally helped’ lazy people because—you are lazy.

Real charity requires thoughtfulness and planning. To answer your last question, throwing cash out the car window at random people holding cardboard signs is worse than helping no one because you think that thoughtless act qualifies as ‘helping the needy.’ You think giving spare change to a stranger gives you the right to judge my perspective as ‘ungenerous.’ Your reckless ‘charity’ turns you into an insufferable Pharisee.

Next time the discussion turns to helping people, don’t dismiss someone for being less irresponsible than you.

(Proverbs 31:27) She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.