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True Story

  For some reason this past week I keep having this one true story pop in my head.  One day my Dad was driving in Kansas City.  Downtown by The Plaza I think.  Anyway, if you've ever driven down there you know there's a homeless person on like every street corner holding a sign.  So, my Dad being the awesome person he is, stops his car and hands a homeless person a fifty dollar bill.  The guy, NO KIDDING, grabs it, sticks his head in my Dad's beat up Oldsmobile, hands back the cash and says, "You keep it.  You need it more than I do."   SERIOUSLY!!!  So, my question is, how do you know when a person is truly in need of some help?  What do you think?  Evie


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4 comments:

Amy Nelson said...

I don't think it's up to us to decide that. I think that if we feel the need to help someone....we should. How they respond is up to them. Jesus has called us to love others. And taking the time to decide if they really need it or not or wondering what they might do with it takes Jesus out of the equation. We plant...Jesus waters. :)

Mollie said...

I agree with Amy, except in the case of strangers showing up on my doorstep asking for money while I'm home alone...that freaks me out!! When did this happen to Dad??

~Amy said...

I remember Dad telling that story...the guy said he needed money to get a bad tooth pulled.

I think it's a heart issue. If you're giving as unto the Lord, then it doesn't matter if the person is truly in need or scamming you, the Lord will bless what you've given regardless.

My sentiment has always been that I'd rather be taken advantage of than reject someone who's in need.

Poopiehead said...

Here in Greensboro, NC we have a lot of panhandlers. You must have a permit to panhandle. The fee for the permit is $30. Every 3 months I get $30 in cash out, and when I come across someone who is panhandling or is asking for money I ask for their permit. If they can produce it, I ask them how long it took them to get the money to get it. No matter what their answer or story is I say,"wow, that's a long time. This $30 only took 30 seconds of your time." And I hand them the $30. I never stay for a thank you, even though I ALWAYS here it behind me. I don't do this to make myself feel better or to give back to the community...I do it because I never know, day by day, if I am going to be walking in their shoes.