Who should I donate to? How should I decide which charity / organization / cause to financially support?

Assuredly we are to discriminate. How, otherwise, are we to give to the needy? This often means patient investigation, and requires time and patience. It is much easier to give a trifle to one with a pitiful story than to make careful enquiry and then to give liberally or not at all, according to the real need or the reverse.

It seems, however, a strange thing to some, among whom is the writer, that there is little or nothing said as to discrimination in giving in Scripture, save that we should not give to the rich but to the poor.

Scripture seems to enforce the most lavish giving, and never seems to give a caution, such as, "beware lest you pauperize, or give to unworthy objects, encourage lazy people or those who take up ministry for inadequate reasons," etc. It even goes so far as to say, Give to every one that asketh of thee." (See also Luke 6:38.) Why is this?

If one does not want to know it, he can likely persuade himself he is ignorant of it, but the righteous desire to know, and they consider the cause of the poor. Not that this means indiscriminate giving of money or of goods, but rather help wisely given, and in proper time.

Our giving to the work of the Lord associates us with that work and with those who labor for Christ's sake. We should therefore be sure that the work to which we give is truly the Lord's work and the persons involved in it are honestly and scripturally carrying on that work. Galatians 2:10 has already spoken of giving to the poor, and 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 deal at length with that question.

As to giving to everyone who asks from us, this must be subject to sober wisdom; for someone may ask for a large amount to be spent on a project that is questionable, and concern for his own good might be reason to refuse this. We must also draw a firm line when people claiming to be the Lord's servants, urge us to give to their particular work. There are too many who take advantage of Christianity to make money. But if one is in need and asks for something to relieve that need, we ought to be fully prepared to give to him what is necessary. This attitude will result, by God's intervention, in receiving back in the same measure that we willingly give (v.38). The Lord is seeking in all of this to draw out the genuine faith of His people. He is certainly not "browbeating" His own! Also, if one has taken away what belongs to us, faith will make no demands for its return (v.30). However, if one borrows from another and forgets to repay him, it would be only right to remind the person of this, not because we want our rights, but to encourage the other person's reliability.

Our Lord says, in verse 42, "Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." It is an example of a great general principle that the Lord is insisting upon; as He had laid bare the character of violence, so here of another thing — the solicitation that addresses itself to the kindness of heart of a Christian. "Give to him that asketh thee." Most certainly this is a comely and a gracious thing; but it is perfectly plain the Lord is not pressing upon His people that the thing be done heedlessly, nor as a mere gratification of their feelings, but with a conscience towards God. Supposing a person came to ask you for something, and you have reason to think that he would spend it improperly, you must limit it. Why not? He might say to you, Did not the Lord enjoin, "Give to him that asketh thee?" Certainly; but the Lord has given certain other words by which I judge as to the propriety of giving in each particular case. The asker might be going to do what I am sure would be absurd or wrong; am I still to give? or is not another principle introduced, namely, due discrimination? Perhaps he that asks has plans of his own which I believe to be worldly: am I to gratify his worldliness? What the Lord has in view is real need; and as there was wont to be great indifference to this among the Jews, as indeed such is apt to be everywhere, the Lord not merely insists upon the Christian helping his brother, but takes the broadest ground in urging generous giving; not, of course, for anything we may get by it, but out of love according to God.

"Give to him that asketh thee." We all know there are those who would impose. This shuts up and often hinders pity; and it may oftener still be an excuse for not showing pity. The Lord is guarding against the snare, and shows the great moral value, for our own souls and for the glory of God, of habitual, considerate, ungrudging kindness towards the distressed in this world. Not that I am always to give what a person asks, for he may seek something foolish; but still "Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." Do you count up how often you have been deceived? Even then why be sore? You are entitled, at the word of Jesus, to do it as unto your Father. The receiver of your bounty may apply it to a bad use: that is his responsibility. I am bound to cultivate unsuspicious generosity, and this quite independent of mere friendship. Even the publicans and sinners are kind to those who are kind to them; but what ought a Christian to be? Christ determines the position, conduct and spirit of the Christian. As He was a sufferer, they are not to resist evil. If there was need, the Lord's heart went out to it. They might turn His love against Himself, and use the gifts of His grace for their own purposes, like the man who was healed, heedless of the Lord's warning and the sense of His benefits. But the Lord, perfectly knowing it all, goes on steadfastly in His path of doing good, not in the mere vague thought of benevolence to man, but in the holy service of His Father.

Do you trust the Lord as to your service as to the money? Do not seek to get money to give, but let it flow naturally, and give it under God's guidance, in seeking His face as a responsible service. To stir up others to give is quite a distinct service. Merely referring to a particular want privately is another thing again. All right that assemblies should send to whomsoever they see in need or interested in the work. If I or any one feel disposed to give my money to you to give away for a good reason before the Lord, I am perfectly free to do it; perfect liberty as to both if done under divine guidance. Individuals are free, and so presented in scripture, and assemblies are free. There may be right motives or wrong ones for entrusting it to another to distribute. Do not seek it, though free of course to mention individual cases of need to any: but let the wisdom of love guide you in what you do receive. I have given all three ways - directly, through a brother, and as in an assembly, and I have not seen anything to shake me in any of them as yet, having scriptural reasons I think for all.

To our families and relatives: ‘If any one does not provide for his own, and specially for those of his house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than the unbeliever’ (1 Tim. 5:8; see also Mark 7:10–13). This is our first responsibility. To the poor: As believers we should not ignore poor people when we come across them: ‘He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor’; ‘He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; but he that withdraweth his eyes shall have many a curse’ (Prov. 22:9; 28:27). The Lord said of them that we will always have them with us (John 12:8), and so it is — in our immediate neighbourhood and around the world. It also says in Ephesians 4:28: ‘Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.’ For the Lord’s work and His servants: We point out the following principles: ‘the labourer is worthy of his hire’ (Luke 10:7; compare 1 Tim. 5:17–18). ‘Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things’ (Gal. 6:6). ‘Do ye not know that they who labour at sacred things eat of the offerings offered in the temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar? So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings’ (1 Cor. 9:13–14).

One thing, however, needs to be borne in mind, that it is the needy who should be helped, not those who can and will recompense us here on earth. If we desire to be recompensed at the resurrection of the just, we must seek out the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind, as did the Lord Himself (Luke 14:12-14, 21); the principle is that we cannot have rewards from men as well as from God the Father (Matt. 6:4).

On the one hand, the Word of God shows us that our giving can be done directly. A believer sees a need and helps there and then. We also think of 1 John 3:17: But whoso may have the world’s substance, and see his brother having need, and shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him?’ Another example is the woman in Proverbs 31 — verse 20 says of her: ‘She stretcheth out her hand to the afflicted, and she reacheth forth her hands to the needy’.

The Lord’s work and workers identified with scripturally-gathered assemblies are mainly provided for by those associated with such companies of the Lord’s people. Those workers should, therefore, always receive the first priority in giving by those expressing practical fellowship with them in assembly worship. Perhaps our spiritual poverty may in part stem from our laxity in giving attention to this important part of our Christian life — that of being stewards for the Lord of His property which He commits to us. It is not for ourselves only, but also, through us, for others.