As a believer, and proclaimed follower of Christ, I also
claim to have many questions and very few answers. Things seem so clear when you think you have
them all figured out. But, when you
begin to look closer, dig deeper and question your own motives behind many of
your beliefs and actions it seems that only more questions arise – at least
that is my experience.
For example, what do you do about homeless people (the question could just as easily apply to the poor, orphaned, addict, your neighbor)? Well, the seemingly logical “right” answer
would be to help them out. Is it that
easy though? What about the obnoxious
drunk homeless people that refuse to put any effort into cleaning up their life
and contribute to society? What about
the homeless people that find it easier to beg for money than look for a job
and sometimes make more money by sitting on the sidewalk? And, if those aren’t stumping enough
questions – how do you choose who to help?
Are you supposed to help every
homeless person you pass? Should you
turn your car around and go back to where they are if you pass on the other
side of the street?
It doesn’t really make sense to care for these people when
it seems like they should be able to do something about their situation – I
mean, after all, there are jobs out there and shelters and programs to care for
these situations. And, it is very possible
that you will be taken advantage of, and your generosity be used for something
that only serves to exacerbate their condition.
So, would you really be helping by helping?
I guess that depends on the kind of help you are intending
to give. You can provide for their short
term comfort with food, clothing or even money.
It probably would help some, but I think the biggest impact would be the
action of helping at all. It is the act
of service, the humbling of self to serve those around you – regardless of the
result – that impacts lives. People
aren’t touched by the object they receive, but by the motive that spurred the
action, and when that motive is pure and simple love, it changes
lives – especially when it is a love that doesn’t make sense.
Jesus loved the ones it didn’t make sense to love (and still
does). He lived in a way that didn’t
make sense to pretty much everyone who knew him. Even his disciples were always questioning
his actions, stories and thoughts. The
rest of society mostly mocked his absurd ways of love and acceptance. He stepped out of bounds, broke through the
box of religion and showed people what true religion was (James 1:27).
He told a parable that pretty much eliminates our right to judge
anyone else’s condition based on the fact that when we have been pardoned of a
debt we are incapable of paying it is absolutely absurd for us to go demanding
others to live up to the very thing we are unable to attain ourselves (Matthew 18:23-35).
So, I guess I’m still working out in my own life how to live
in action what I believe to be true in word.
I drove pass a homeless guy with a sign tonight. I hesitated at the stop sign – even looked
through my bags to see what I could give him, but found nothing I thought he
would want/need. I gave a weak smile and
continued down the road with even more questions tumbling around my mind.
