A Hitchhiker's Guide to Righteousness
I'm torn.
I was driving home yesterday and and there was a hitchhiker on the highway. A bajillion things pop into my head all at once and don't really feel like pulling over. I am reminded that Jesus said, that what we do to "the least of these" is a service to him.
But look at the world today. For those of you who didn't remember, I grew up in the metro D.C. area. Back home, there wasn't much room for having a heart for strangers. People posed as hitchikers and then proceded to either rape, rob, or murder the victim who pulled over. On one occasion, there was one hitchiker with a few buddies hiding in the ditch, ready to spring.
It seems to be the same with other helping hands too. A guy comes up to you and begs for money to buy formula for his child, instead of giving him the cash, you buy him the formula, and he is no where in sight. "Will work for [booze]" is the lay of the land.
Dysfunctional people and deviants are always on the lookout for unsuspecting good samaritans who are ripe for the picking. Christians especially. Because our church meets in homes, our home phone number is the one listed in the phonebook as The Church Of Christ. We get several calls a year with similar stories of how so and so needs money for gas or food or so on and so forth.
Even those who have the ability to fend for themselves see that there are sapps who are willing to lend "free rides" and take advantage of them. People are getting money from the government and us and yet they have cell phones and satellite TV dishes. What's wrong with this picture
It's like the whole world is out to bite the hand!
Now, there's a 70-80% chance that this hitchiker was an honest man, who would mean no harm, and genuinely needed help. But I've been burned so many times by people who feign helplessness, that it's difficult for me to lend a helping hand anymore.
I didn't end up pulling over for him. I joined the constant stream of passerbys who either
didn't care, or had been burned over themselves.
Is this how a righteous man is to act? How is it that Jesus was always able to give in a way that changed lives, not enabled them in their ways?
I would love to give up my possesions and time if I genuinely believed they would help. How did Jesus do it? Is being taken advantage of a thing that's not supposed to happen to christians?
I can almost hear the devil laughing at us floundering fish. We are called to be selfless, but at what cost? Has the devil twisted every weapon we have?
I was driving home yesterday and and there was a hitchhiker on the highway. A bajillion things pop into my head all at once and don't really feel like pulling over. I am reminded that Jesus said, that what we do to "the least of these" is a service to him.
But look at the world today. For those of you who didn't remember, I grew up in the metro D.C. area. Back home, there wasn't much room for having a heart for strangers. People posed as hitchikers and then proceded to either rape, rob, or murder the victim who pulled over. On one occasion, there was one hitchiker with a few buddies hiding in the ditch, ready to spring.
It seems to be the same with other helping hands too. A guy comes up to you and begs for money to buy formula for his child, instead of giving him the cash, you buy him the formula, and he is no where in sight. "Will work for [booze]" is the lay of the land.
Dysfunctional people and deviants are always on the lookout for unsuspecting good samaritans who are ripe for the picking. Christians especially. Because our church meets in homes, our home phone number is the one listed in the phonebook as The Church Of Christ. We get several calls a year with similar stories of how so and so needs money for gas or food or so on and so forth.
Even those who have the ability to fend for themselves see that there are sapps who are willing to lend "free rides" and take advantage of them. People are getting money from the government and us and yet they have cell phones and satellite TV dishes. What's wrong with this picture
It's like the whole world is out to bite the hand!
Now, there's a 70-80% chance that this hitchiker was an honest man, who would mean no harm, and genuinely needed help. But I've been burned so many times by people who feign helplessness, that it's difficult for me to lend a helping hand anymore.
I didn't end up pulling over for him. I joined the constant stream of passerbys who either
didn't care, or had been burned over themselves.
Is this how a righteous man is to act? How is it that Jesus was always able to give in a way that changed lives, not enabled them in their ways?
I would love to give up my possesions and time if I genuinely believed they would help. How did Jesus do it? Is being taken advantage of a thing that's not supposed to happen to christians?
I can almost hear the devil laughing at us floundering fish. We are called to be selfless, but at what cost? Has the devil twisted every weapon we have?
posted by Your humble servant at 9:45 AM
5 Comments:
Brilliant. Your first line says it all. It is a struggle to be a Christian with an overflowing heart of compassion and not be duped by every empty hand. While continually taxed by the number of people seeking assistance, the government does offer programs, like Promise Jobs, that cover rent and money for gas for those who are willing to try and help themselves. The problem is that people don't want to try. They want handouts - to do nothing and have everything that everyone else has (as you mentioned cell phones and satellite TV dishes).
The more and more I learn about what services are available, I find I have less sympathy for the people standing on the side of the road with signs. Also, knowing a guy who does it for his living changes my perspective. If by standing on the side of the road with a sign they can get one person every hour to give them $10 or $20, then they’re making more money than you or me an hour!!! But as with the guy on the side of the road (who I also saw on my way home), one must evaluate the best way to respond after prayer when questioning a person's true need.
I MOSTLY think that there isn't much we can do to "help" people. I think that the motivation of our heart has to be out of love for God and our neighbour not out of the motivation to want to change or better someone and usually when we step up to the plate to "help" we are the ones who end up being changed by God. And maybe it's taking that risk of being vulnerable that opens us up to the love of God. Because it is the unconditional love of God that changes us and the ones around us. But then how will people know God's love unless we show them? (shrug) Was that just a big circle or what? :)
Oh yeah, what I mean by being vulnerable is taking the risk to trust that even if you are being ripped off to trust God that He has you and your now lack of money/time/effort or whatever and the person/thing that you just gave it to. God is in control of it all.
I think Gal 5:6 applies.
For if we are in Christ Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed through love.
Cade, I've struggled more and more with this line of thought. It reminds me of a quote I once heard... and just now had to look it up again... from Thomas Jefferson:
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
And, where does all this leave us? Do we throw out the wheat with the chaff? Who are we to judge? Be smart (wise as serpents) and be careful (gentle as doves), but give to anyone who asks. It's a hard, hard, line to walk.
And, I hear you... I grew up in Chicagoland. Scammers and danger there too. And, of course, a need for the truth of God.
Okay, finally! I get to identify myself. I forgot to say "I'm Jason" not just some anonymous poster. But, I forgot... then blogger didn't let me post anything more yesterday. Goodness. Yeah, it's Jason...
Post a Comment
<< Home