There are certain aspects of the Sunday worship service at
my church that are the same each week, down to the exact phrasing that my
pastor uses. For that reason I’ve described it as “liturgical” before, although
it’s not a liturgy that we use, necessarily.
One of those phrases that we hear each week as the
service ends is an instruction that goes something like this: “The Bible
reminds us to be careful of how we entertain strangers, for some of us have
entertained angels unaware.” My pastor is referencing Hebrews 13:2 each week,
and that reminder has often resonated in my head as I’ve encountered people on
the street asking for something—change, food, a SEPTA token. As I walk away
with my money still in my wallet, I have thought a couple of times, “What if
that was an angel?” Jesus himself said that when we feed the hungry, give a
drink to the thirsty, or clothe the naked we are actually doing those
things to him as well. So I’ve thought before, “I just denied Jesus a couple of
dollars!”
I bring up these thoughts because of a discussion we had at
our Wednesday night Bible study this week. In a conversation about living your
faith out in works, the topic of giving money to panhandlers came up as such an
opportunity to “prove” your faith. The discussion went all over the place, with
many people having stories to tell about how they’ve handled the situation so
familiar to all of us. Some had given out $20 bills and others advice such as “Get
as job” (a response to which I have not the time to deliver here). The clearest
answer I came out with was “Do as you feel led in the moment, considering the
Bible’s strong bend toward generosity.” It was a reasonable answer that left
room for “discernment,” a word that came up several times during the
discussion.
But this morning I was reminded of a striking instruction
from Jesus during his famous Sermon on the Mount as recorded by Luke: “Give to
everyone who begs from you…” So simple. If someone begs from you, give them
something. This was such a freeing command. Just give.
Of course there is the consideration of what to give, which Jesus does not address. And I agree with Jesus
that it doesn’t need addressing. We are to give. To everyone who begs from us.
So as I learn about how to practice simplicity, I’ve decided
that I’ll not be caught unprepared any more. I will have things on hand to
give, mainly granola bars and SEPTA tokens since I’m usually asked for food or “money
for the bus.” I’m commanded to give and I’m confronted with opportunities all
the time, so I’ll not leave any more angels with empty hands, and I’ll
certainly not leave Jesus with an empty belly. I’ll give.
Working this year with a soup kitchen, at which I have encountered and gotten to know dozens of men who live on the streets, the question of giving has become even more complicated for me. Because I see the way people often use money I give them to feed their alcoholism and other addictions, I try to buy food, or to refer them to places in town that serve meals. The sad thing is that being around this population has made me more cynical about giving people money, because I am less naive. So--it has become hard question in the moment. If I don't have time to buy someone food, should I still give them money? Because I help serve food to 125 people 2x a week, should I feel less guilty when I don't give to someone on the side of the road? My big questions continues to be--why do we tolerate a society in which so many people have no place to rest their heads, and whose life circumstances have spiraled them into mental illness and addictions? Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Preston.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Amy Beth, and for your thoughtful questions in response. To your final point, I agree that we must do more than just feed people and alleviate poverty but also work to address the causes of hunger, poverty, mass incarceration, etc. But to respond to your reaction of cynicism, I want to encourage you in all of the difficult and loving work that you do! It can be easy to feel as though we've given enough, when we give all day long. But I encourage you to reflect on the radically selfless nature of Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. I think that you show love the most when you have been giving all day and then even on your way home from the soup kitchen give a little more. But I would also encourage you to pray about your feelings of cynicism. Again, I really appreciate your insight and your thoughtful approach to these ideas!
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