More Than Food

"If you're too busy to give your neighbor a helping hand, then you're just too darned busy." ~Marie T. Freeman

Growing up in the metropolitan area I had, it's hard to miss sometimes the amount of homeless people scattered around the area, holding up signs, walking the parking lots looking for anyone with a few pennies of change, asking if you could offer any kind of help. For most people seeing those people makes them feel uncomfortable. It's so easy to pass judgment on them, "oh look at them, they're just too lazy to go find a job." "I bet they're just after money to get their next fix." Not a lot of them will stop to help, or even offer a smile to lighten their day.

I will admit that these people make me uncomfortable, I usually duck my head and avoid eye contact and pretend I didn't hear their plea for help. Just recently I walked out of a grocery store, it was a cold rainy day and I just wanted to get home to my warm dry home with cupboards stocked full of food and a heater ready to greet me with warmth. On the way out I heard a voice "Can you help us out with some food?" I looked up to see a young man making eye contact with me, a young woman by his side huddling underneath her lightweight sweater. I gave him an uncomfortable smile but kept walking.

I felt uncomfortable, as most people do. Some even going to the extent of approaching management to have these people removed from the premise. Who are these people, I don't know them...why would I give them my money? How do I know what they will do with it? It's my money that I worked hard for...

I got in my car and I could still see their hungry faces looking at me, pleading for something to eat. I suddenly felt convicted with guilt, I heard the words of Christ speaking to me from Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

I took my seat belt off and took a deep breath, and then got out of the car and walked back to the entrance of the store. Unfortunately they were gone, and though I went back I couldn't help but think about the fact that I'd missed my opportunity, how I let my own discomfort get in the way of doing what Christ calls all of us to do, in that we must pick our crosses up daily and follow after him. As you read through the bible and new testament, you can see that he never hesitated, he fed the needy, he mingled with leapers, and he let harlot's wash his feet with their tears.

I can't help but wonder as well, especially after the time that passed between when I passed them by and went back was so short. I feel that God puts situations like this in front of us to test us, to see how we're going to react. Just like the song Tommy Shane Stenier sings,

What if he's an angel sent here from heaven
And he's making certain that you're doing your best
To take the time to help one another
Brother are you going to pass that test
You can go on with your day to day
Trying to forget what you saw in his face
Knowing deep down it could have been his saving grace
What if he's an angel



I'm not saying that everyone who's on the street corners begging for good, clothing, work are angels...but I do believe that they are amongst us. And I do believe that comfort or no comfort, getting a gallon of milk, a package of microwave burritos, a sack of dollar hamburgers from mcdonalds, may make a world of difference to that person and what better opportunity would we have to share the love of Christ in a moment like that?

May we humble ourselves just a little and not see what they are, that they are less than us or that we are above helping them...for as John 3:16 says, God so loved the WHOLE world....not just the rich, not just those with houses and who can provide their own food...no, God loves ALL of us, rich and poor.

We can feed the hungry with so much more than food beloved....we can feed them with God's love too.

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