I was all set to write about something different today ... and then today happened. I had a meeting with my BCM president at a pizza place downtown and as we left and stood on the sidewalk chatting, a man approached us. He was dressed casually, but was clean. He was friendly and well spoken. He actually walked past the two of us and then came back. "I wasn't gonna stop, but you looked friendly. See, these blue eyes, I've got some white ancestors just like you. Now, I'm not homeless or anything. I don't do drugs. I do smoke. But I stay at the Salvation Army and they only give you 8 free nights. The others are $5 a night and I don't have any money for the rest of the month til my check comes. I get a check because I'm on disability. I take medication. Restaril. You ever heard of it? It's because I've got schizophrenia."
Now, Jonathan and I got a few (very few) words in there ... and there were some other comments about us not being prejudiced against black people before the plea came:
"Can you help me stay at the Salvation Army til the end of the month?"
What do you do? I've had this conversation many times in the past few months with different friends. When do you give, when do you walk away? What limits do you set? What if they don't use the money for what they said?
We got a laugh last week when we were sitting at lunch and four different people at the table had had experiences with Clarence, a rather saavy homeless man in the Augusta area. He was making the rounds. But he was also honest and tried to do the right thing. Oh the Clarence stories, they would make you bust out laughing ... and break your heart!
I know we are told to be wise. But we are also told all throughout Scripture to give to those who don't have. And not only that, but I had a student watching.
But that's where the dilemma comes in ... we want life to be fair - if you do what I want you to do, I will help you. If you spend this $5 on housing, if you buy milk (not cigarettes), if you don't ask me for something else tomorrow. But wait, that's not really how it reads ... and do we want that same standard applied to US when we approach God?
AHHHHHHHH ... being BRAVE is loving the way God loves. It's living from the overflow of Him in our lives. It's giving even when it's out of our control. Cause you know what, it's really not mine anyway!! I am a control freak, I know ... it's no secret here! But I realize my responsibility here is to GIVE ... where it goes is up to God. I have the Holy Spirit living in me for a reason, and honestly, people do not approach me daily wanting food or shelter or the like. So, I gave. And walked away. Somehow it just didn't seem right to saw, God Bless You ... I've got nothing for you.
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Mt. 25:43-45
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