Suggest that a nation received rain because it was just, or was redeemed from slavery for ffulfilling some commandment, and you imply that those not granted a miracle to save them from a horror of history deserved punishment. Ironically, even verses dealing with slander raise the same questions. Guard your tongue froth evil. The midrash, expert at undermining the simple meaning, seems satisfied with it here. The story seems to be an unguarded comment abouy anyone who doesn't merit long life.
Charity saves no one.
Yet his solution, that charity protects one from unnatural death, hardly satisfies. The mother dies, the poor man lives. For all anyone knows, I'd add, the Sikh was hit by a train 10 minutes after his gift. His action, however, echoed in the maze of human lives. God does use history and nature as his agents.