Looks can be deceptive.

People who travel to really poor areas of the world consistently report some of the same feelings in those places. They always stand out as Americans, which means they are constantly begged for money. Further, because the prices are so low, their American dollars represent a tremendous amount of wealth. This means that even when getting services like taxi rides, the inclination is to lavish fabulous tips on the natives because it would be so easy to do.

But what’s interesting is that most people familiar with these countries will tell you that it’s actually a bad idea. Whether overtipping or giving to beggars, the problem is that you disrupt the local economy and cause additional problems with such simple generosity.

In other words, they say to act like a stingy person, behavior which observed at a distance would seem almost callous and cruel. But sometimes that which looks superficially loving can be harmful and that which looks superficially mean can be the most loving.

Perhaps this is why a wealthy God doesn’t just give us everything we beg Him for, even though He wishes He could.