The raggedy man at the highway intersection holding a sign noting that he is out of work; the young men under the interstate overpass; the women with their children staying at the Interfaith Homeless Shelter; the young woman with her baby sleeping on her lap in the shopping center parking lot — who are these people? Why are they put in my way? Is there a lesson or an insight to be gained by interacting with them?

I will speak only for myself. I try not to judge, but I often do. I pass my assumptions, my prejudices on to these folks. I look the other way or take a different route to avoid having a conversation or catching their eye. Why do I do that? Am I thinking that they should not be asking for a handout? Not be asking for help to feed their children or themselves? Or as one terribly honest man’s sign reads: “Need money for beer.”

Or should I shine the light of Christ on His suffering people? Can any among us imagine the loss of dignity required to beg on the street? Even if this is the person’s chosen means of support (for some reason or necessity), they receive derision, scorn and rejection, not compassion and love for this activity. They are not admired or promoted as an example of good living.

Again, I am trying not to judge. Once, while ringing the Salvation Army bells at Christmas time, a woman stopped to apologize for “just” dropping a few coins in the kettle. She explained that she made a point of never passing a kettle without putting something in it – no matter how small. What a wonderful example to follow. I always have some change in the car or my pockets. This is done for me, for my soul, for my good.

The other day, I came across a teenage mother in the parking lot of Walmart. Her beautiful toddler was asleep in her arms and her luggage was piled on the small median where she sat. When she was still in the same spot when I returned to my car, I was literally “moved” to ask her if she was waiting for someone. She had not asked me for anything. However, she needed help with a transportation issue and not a small one.
She needed to buy an Amtrak ticket to get back to Philadelphia PA. She had been told there was a bus at Walmart that would take her to the Amtrak station. She had money but not the ability to do what was necessary to accomplish her goal. I took her to my house, fed her a sandwich and let the baby finish her nap on a bed.

Then I got on the computer and figured out how to buy her a ticket and printed it out for her. She paid me for the ticket. It took all the money that she had. When I left her at the Ocala train station to wait for the bus which would take her to Jacksonville and the train to Philly, I gave her money to buy food for the 20-hour trip home. I gave her a blanket to keep them warm on the train. Rich gave the baby a little teddy bear to cuddle.

Her story was complicated and irrelevant to the actions that I took. I tell the story because I believe that the Holy Spirit moved me to stop and talk with Annie. I believe that God guides me on this path and protects me. I will never know, if my actions made a lasting impression on this needy young woman, but I do know that I did God’s will when I decided to ask the question, “Are you waiting for someone?” Yes, she was waiting for me.

And, because I know that God loves her unconditionally and me unconditionally and you unconditionally, I can attempt in my own fumbling human way to try and love others to the best of my ability. So, if I can safely transfer some change to the beggar on the highway, I will. We are all beggars at the feast of God’s grace banquet. He doesn’t ask us why we need it, He just fill us to the brim.

Terri