Most of us have been in a situation where someone has asked us for money. Often we have a suspicion that this person is going to misuse our gift, but at the same time we usually feel that we should give it to them anyway. Jesus Ben Sira, a Jerusalem sage in the second century BC and the author of the Book of Sirach, can help us resolve this problem. He writes, among other things, about giving to the poor even if they will not make proper use of the gift and about the lasting benefits of almsgiving for the giver. 

Ben Sira acknowledges that there are good reasons not to give alms. He does not paint every person who doesn’t give as an Ebenezer Scrooge. Rather, he tells his students, “Many refuse to lend, not out of meanness, but from fear of being cheated needlessly”(Sir 29:7). Nobody likes being cheated. Whether it is by an actual debtor, a family member after money, or even a beggar telling a bogus story. Dishonesty and imperfection from those to whom we are charitable often makes us question our giving and our mercy.

However, Ben Sira instructs his students to give to the poor anyway, even if they are undeserving. He says, “But with those in humble circumstances be patient; do not keep them waiting for your alms”(Sir 29:8). Ben Sira highlights that, for the poor, this loan is more of a gift (the giver knows he is not getting anything back) and is thus an act of mercy. The English word “alms” evolved from the Greek word “eleos,” which means “mercy.”  In this way, the benefactor is merciful to the poor as God is merciful to us. 

The sage concludes by saying that the benefits of these alms are not only for the poor but are even greater for the benefactor. He writes, “Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will save you from every evil”(Sir 29:12). These alms or financial gifts are not going to waste. Rather, when a person gives a gift, he is storing his good deeds or merits. This storage of merits is meant to help save the benefactor from his own sin and corresponding punishment (Tob 12:9). Jesus Christ teaches us to give alms (Matt 6:2) and to store these treasures gained by almsgiving in heaven (Matt 6:19-21). 

In a couple days we will celebrate the greatest alms given to human beings: the gift of the Incarnation. So let’s give gifts to our friends and family who will reciprocate other gifts, but we should also give gifts to the poor. The gifts we give to our friends and family will be stored under a tree, used in their house, and eventually disposed of in their trash, but the gifts that we give to the poor will be stored up for us in heaven, and we will see these gifts again when we see our benefactor face to face.

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Image: by Tina Vanhove on Unsplash