The Man and Woman with the sign

The Man and Woman with the sign

When to help, and when not to help (?) is the question.  Something that many ponder over, I know that I certainly do.  I have a friend who works in a food bank, and she is very dictated to feeding the poor, and she spends much of her time in not only handing out food, but also in looking for places that will donate.  She works with her husband who is now retired, and they both give their all in this ministry. 

One day she came to me and complained that some of the people who come for food, after they leave, sell it either for alcohol, or drugs, and it was making her rethink if she really wanted to “waste” her time doing this.  So we talked about it, and one thing I brought us is some of the people who come out are users, they will simply take advantage of the system, and really there is not much that can be done about it.  That is how some people survive, and miserable their lives must truly be.  As we talked she came to the conclusion that she just needed to do what she feels called to, and give out the food, not being attached to how “some”, the “few”, will abuse the system or take advantage of her and her husband. 

If  I decide to help someone, there is always the chance that I will be used, but even then the people are helped in some ways.  If I only helped those who deserved it, who were in no way responsible for their plight, then I guess I would not be able to help most people.  I know for a fact that the great majority of my problems are self inflicted, and I need help sometimes because of them.  Mercy is not mercy if the one receiving, has to somehow “prove” that they truly deserve help, since the criteria used may make it impossible for most to pass the test.

In Atlanta there are many men and woman who wait at stop lights with signs stating that they will “work for food”, or simply say that they need money to get to a certain destination.   I know that I can’t give money to all of them, or even to some of them, but only perhaps to one of them each trip.  So what I did is come to an understanding with the Lord that I will give money at a certain stop light that I often have to use when coming from the Atlanta, Airport.  I find this is a good answerer for me, and gives me some focus and limit to my giving.  Sometimes I don’t follow this; I do feel the nudge to give at other lights from time to time.

One day I came to “my light” and saw a man and a woman standing there in the cold rain, it was February,  both looked pretty beat up, and perhaps on drugs, but it was cold, and the woman looked really the worse for wear.  I stopped and gave them a little more than I normally would, and as soon as they got the money, the man grabbed the woman by her hand, and made a bee line for the Waffle House near the light.  So I guess I helped out that time.  Even if they were in their position because of choices that they made, they were still hungry, cold and wet, how could I not help them.  Again I can’t help all of them, but this one “sacred place” allows to me to help a few. 

So I encourage others to perhaps pick out just one light were some help can be given to these people, who are truly children of God, and our brothers and sisters.  One good thing about my place is that it is about 15 miles from the city, and I think those who ask for money outside the city limits are most likely in real need.

I have never really went without all my life, but have been the recipient of kindness of strangers and have never forgotten it.