Without a doubt, my most frequently asked question involves panhandling. What should I do? How should I do it? Are they going to use the money for something bad?
I submit that most of our questions along this line are not really about panhandlers, but about our need to hold onto our money and our service to the false gods of convenience and control.
Huh?
I unpack that a bit over on my friend Karen’s blog, where she asked me this question:
I recently pulled out of a parking lot and there was a line of panhandlers at the stop light. How do I help? Who do I help?
Go see what my answer was.
Hugh,
Thanks for this! This is exactly the way that I was raised. When I lived and worked in West Raleigh, I would get asked for money everyday, often by the same folks. If I had the time, I would always go with them and have lunch with them. If I didn’t have time, but had some cash (which was rarely, I always use a debit card) I would give it to them. If I simply didn’t have any money to give them, I would simply tell them, “Sorry, brother. Can’t help out today.” Because I took the time to speak to them and get to know them, even just a little bit, they knew that I was sincere.
As the preacher that baptized me used to say, “Our job isn’t to make sure they ‘do the right thing’ with the money. It is to make sure that WE do the right thing!”
Just realized that this sounds like I am blowing my own sax, but that isn’t my intention at ALL!
Thanks for all you do. If I ever get back over to Raleigh from W-S, I would love to meet up and talk to you about what you are doing and how. I am in the process of discerning G-d’s call on me right now and how I can serve the Kingdom here in W-S.
In the Shalom of Christ.
SCM