The other day I was on my way to Toys R Us to try to get a certain toy that was on sale for one day only. On my way off the exit, there was a man on the side of the road holding a sign “Please Help” or something like that. The temperature was somewhere in the 40s and a cold drizzly rain was falling. In moments like these I sometimes feel that God is watching me to see how I will respond. I wonder if you are like me in these situations and have about a dozen thoughts race through your head…
Quick visual assessment: Does he look dangerous? Am I going to have to stop my car right next to him? Maybe I should lock my door. Is he just scamming? Do I have a dollar on me? I only have a $20. But that’s gas money. I can’t give him a $20 – that’s a lot. I don’t carry extra cash. What if he just buys cigarettes with it. Light’s green. Too late to figure it out now. Poor guy. I shouild have helped him. Or should I have?…
The irony set in as I walked into Toys R Us. I had passed this man by so I could save 15 dollars on one of a dozen toys my kids will get. Once I found out they were out of stock I left. I then drove around the corner to a store to buy the homeless guy an umbrella. At the checkout, the worker said “You didn’t plan on it raining today, did you?” I wasn’t sure how to respond. I left and headed back to the off-ramp. I had already worked out in my head where I would park and what I would say. When I arrived He was gone.
I was bummed and felt, in a way, that I had not passed the test. I decided I could keep the umbrella in my car in case I run across someone else who could use it – and I’ll make sure I stop and help right away next time.
This seems to be a topic that arises on occasion in our Christian circles. Jesus seems to be clear how we should respond. But why do we rationalize our way out of helping?