“Loving my neighbour as myself” does not mean giving indiscriminately or naively in every situation — it means acting out of genuine care, wisdom, and righteousness. In Leviticus 19:18, where the command first appears, the surrounding verses give context: love is expressed through justice (v. 15), honesty (v. 11), care for the vulnerable (v. 10, v. 14), caring for others and their well-being (v. 16), and not harbouring hate or a grudge against anybody (v. 17-18), not through unthinking generosity that may harm others or oneself.
Jesus Himself showed compassion wisely and selectively. For instance, He didn’t heal every sick person in Israel, nor did He give everyone what they wanted (John 5:3–9, Mark 1:35–38). His ministry was purposeful. He fed the hungry and healed the sick, but also withdrew from crowds and called for repentance, not mere relief.
Scripture also teaches boundaries and discernment. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Paul says, “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat”. This is not a lack of love—its love expressed through encouragement towards responsibility and dignity. Now keep in mind that in many cases people are homeless for reasons other than refusing to work, but this is just one example. In Proverbs 22:3, it says, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it”. Letting strangers into your home without knowing them or the risks involved may endanger your family, which would be neglecting your first God-given responsibility (1 Timothy 5:8).
Helping others doesn’t have to look like housing them. You can love your neighbour in many ways, for example, providing them food, clothing, items, or money; providing them sound advice and helpful information; praying for them; preaching the gospel to them; etc. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) paid for an inn — not his own home — and ensured the man received ongoing care. That’s a model of compassionate yet practical help. Furthermore, in this parable the man was described as “half dead” (v. 30) after being robbed—being in dire need of help—not homeless.
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