He stands on the corner of the street with a cardboard sign as you drive up to the light. He passes you on the sidewalk and asks for spare change. He approaches you at a bus stop and offers to sell you a random item. Should you help him?
That’s one of the first questions that flashes through our minds – should I help this guy? Is he really in need or just trying to make easy money off of hurried drivers? Is he trying to keep from starving, or just trying to get high? Is he making ends meet off of stuff he no longer needs, or hawking stolen goods? Does he really need my help?
Unfortunately, we start with the wrong question. We should not ask ourselves “Should I help this guy,” but “How can I help this guy.” We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to do to others as we would have them do to ourselves. And we are to let our light shine before others that they may see our good works and give glory to God. When John questioned whether Jesus was the Christ, Jesus gave him six signs of his authenticity in order of significance, climaxing with "the poor have good news preached to them.” According to James, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction , and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” We have an unquestionable calling to assist our fellow man in his time of need.
So, going back to our man. How can we help him? There is still numerous and overwhelming doubts looming in your minds: “He may just be too lazy to work.” “He may just be supporting an addiction.” “He may be a thief and a swindler.” Granted. All of those may be true. I will do my best to address each of the hypothetical (yet very real) situations one at a time in future blog posts.
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