The Bible strongly mandates generosity and care for the needy, often urging radical giving (Luke 6:30). However, Christian giving must be balanced with wisdom, stewardship, and discernment. The Christian has a responsibility to ensure that their giving genuinely helps the recipient and does not enable destructive behavior (e.g., substance abuse) or support fraudulent requests. While the default impulse should be generosity, effective Christian charity involves seeking long-term transformation and focusing resources where they can do the most good, rather than simply dispensing money to every passerby.  

The tithe (a mandatory 10%) was a specific law under the Old Covenant, and Christians today are not legally bound by it. Under the New Covenant, the focus shifts from a legal percentage to the principle of cheerful, sacrificial generosity (2 Corinthians 9:7). While God desires us to be generous, a Christian with tight finances should not view giving as a magic formula or a fearful debt. They must pray for wisdom, prioritize basic needs, and seek to give proportionally and willingly from whatever they have, trusting God with the consequences.