I saw him turn towards me after a glance over his shoulder. I pretended to be digging for something in my car but he was there by my window… I gave in. In broad daylight, I gave money to the man who asked me for some money at the gas pump. He took off his hat and said “I’m not a beggar. I’m a grandpa…blah blah” I said “I can give you $5.” He said he has a car a few blocks away and is trying to get to work.
Do not scold nor ask “What were you thinking?!” My typical response is to say “no.” But for some reason this time, another thought popped into my head. Every day I pray that I will be aware and willing to share my blessings when/how I can with whoever needs.
The Bible verse describing helping others immediately came to mind. “…the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.” Matthew 25:40
So I gave the man $5. I filled up my tank with more than $45 and didn’t think twice about it. I am blessed. I drove a few blocks then happened to look over at a shopping center with various stores and fast-food places. The man was strolling through the parking lot with his just-ordered sack of food from one of those places.
You can imagine my reaction. A part of me (the curious and confident part) wanted to turn around and go ask him what he got. Nothing violent or rude. Just to let him know I had seen him. Another part of me thought, “Nope, you shared a trivial amount of your daily blessing with that man. God wanted you to.” Another part of me imagined the many things he could have bought with that $5 and realizes lunch is something I don’t regret buying for someone. I am blessed.
Tags: beggar, blessings, charity, lauren clark, money, unto the least of these
Was this really the best idea? Maybe, maybe not. I highly recommend that you read “Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life” by Robert D. Lupton.
Years ago, when the metrocentre was still downtown in LR (remember the sculpture, ‘knife edge’?) and the streets were turned into an open mall, we would go out for lunch but usually just sit and watch people. Ok, I would watch the girls. The homeless folks would always be there, many asking for money, ususally indicating they were hungry. I would offer to buy them lunch and most refused, sometimes indignantly, wanting the money instead. The thought was give them money and their headed straight to the liquor store. Of course if I chose to give money to someone at that point it’s not my place to judge them for what they spend it on. It was always a dilemna, follow biblical teachings and help the less fortunate or wonder why they would choose to live in abject poverty and why should I enable that? For every instance of using the bible to justify giving to someone, there was always the rejoinder that the Lord helps those who help theirselves… As I said, a dilemna.