The Christian and the Beggar

Our city is full of homeless men and women. There are beggars everywhere. It is quite normal to see them on nearly every street intersection, no matter where you are in the city.
Matthew and I have been thinking about them lately. God has been making us uneasy just sitting in our comfort watching them.

Sure, we can give to the poor in other countries but is there anything to be done here in America?

It's easy to think "Well, the poor in America are just looking for an easy 20 to spend on their addictions..." or "They just don't want to work" I realize how true this might be, and am aware of the statistics of the corner beggar.

But one afternoon last week Matthew came home for his lunch break and said to me,

"You know, something struck me this morning while I was driving to work..." 

"Oh yeah? What's that?" I love it when he tells me what's on his mind! It's usually the beginning of a great conversation.

"Christ doesn't command us to give to only the "good" poor, or care for only the "good" widows."

Hmm, yeah, I never really thought of it that way! Do we really get so caught up into "what's wise" that we don't do "what's right"? How often do we use the "what's wise" excuse to actually do nothing? Have we used that as a smokescreen for our own indifference?

While we need to be wise that doesn't take back Christ’s commands or make them only conditional. We are not told to love only our good neighbors or love only the lovable. So why do we only give to the poor when it is convenient and when we know for a fact that they are honest people?

We want to be Christ to all  men, everywhere... unconditionally. 

"If you pour yourselves out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday." Isa. 58:10