Entertaining Angels?
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 12:2
I have not been known for my compassion to the homeless. I'm not recognized for my giving to the beggars down on Lyndale and Broadway.
I have some very strong feelings about these people. Most of them have sucked the system dry and slapped away every offer of a legitimate "hand up" in favor of a "hand out".
I know some will argue with me. Back in the 80's the state dumped thousands of people into the streets that where in state hospitals and half-way homes. Something about 'dignity'. I guess begging for food on the streets makes them feel good about themselves.
And yet...I find my self doing things that contradict my hardened opinion. When I was heading back to the shop after a long hot day digging foundations for monuments, I'd often dig into the cooler and hand out bottles of cold water to the guys begging down on Broadway. Granted, I was doing about 30 MPH, and it didn't seem like a blessing to them when the bottle came flying at their noggin...JUST KIDDING! I would make a point of pulling up to the side walk and hand them out. I didn't do it because I wanted to make myself look good or feel Superior, it's just that these guys were out in the 100° heat and needed a drink.
This morning I was in the grocery store parking lot, leaving after picking up some supplies and this young guy in a beat up car was cruising the lot hitting people up for money. I tried to dodge him, but my gout foot kept me from ducking in between the cars.
He caught up to me and gave me this story about being from Little Falls and he forgot his wallet up north and he was stranded down here in the cities and needed gas to get home and blah blah blah...I told him I had no cash (which I didn't) and wished him good luck. Once I got back into my truck, I was confronted with a thought: What if he was an angel?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe I'm a fool. But in light of my strong opinion and that this isn't the type of scripture passage I have taped to my bathroom mirror, I decided it was something I should act on. Maybe God was trying to get my attention.
I saw that he had headed for the Super America on the corner and decided that I'd buy him some gas if I could catch him. If he asked for the money, I'd say no. I caught him before he left the station, and told him to pull up to the pump because I was going to buy him some gas.
Tears, my friends. Tears. He was genuinely touched.
I could have gotten on my high horse and gave him a speech about getting his life together and personal responsibility and yadda, yadda, yadda, but I just shook his hand and sent him on his way with a blessing.
Who knows? Maybe he laughed as soon as I was out of sight. Maybe he headed back to Little Falls. Maybe I'll see him down there begging again tomorrow and I'll bust him out for it.
Maybe he was an angel?
I have not been known for my compassion to the homeless. I'm not recognized for my giving to the beggars down on Lyndale and Broadway.
I have some very strong feelings about these people. Most of them have sucked the system dry and slapped away every offer of a legitimate "hand up" in favor of a "hand out".
I know some will argue with me. Back in the 80's the state dumped thousands of people into the streets that where in state hospitals and half-way homes. Something about 'dignity'. I guess begging for food on the streets makes them feel good about themselves.
And yet...I find my self doing things that contradict my hardened opinion. When I was heading back to the shop after a long hot day digging foundations for monuments, I'd often dig into the cooler and hand out bottles of cold water to the guys begging down on Broadway. Granted, I was doing about 30 MPH, and it didn't seem like a blessing to them when the bottle came flying at their noggin...JUST KIDDING! I would make a point of pulling up to the side walk and hand them out. I didn't do it because I wanted to make myself look good or feel Superior, it's just that these guys were out in the 100° heat and needed a drink.
This morning I was in the grocery store parking lot, leaving after picking up some supplies and this young guy in a beat up car was cruising the lot hitting people up for money. I tried to dodge him, but my gout foot kept me from ducking in between the cars.
He caught up to me and gave me this story about being from Little Falls and he forgot his wallet up north and he was stranded down here in the cities and needed gas to get home and blah blah blah...I told him I had no cash (which I didn't) and wished him good luck. Once I got back into my truck, I was confronted with a thought: What if he was an angel?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe I'm a fool. But in light of my strong opinion and that this isn't the type of scripture passage I have taped to my bathroom mirror, I decided it was something I should act on. Maybe God was trying to get my attention.
I saw that he had headed for the Super America on the corner and decided that I'd buy him some gas if I could catch him. If he asked for the money, I'd say no. I caught him before he left the station, and told him to pull up to the pump because I was going to buy him some gas.
Tears, my friends. Tears. He was genuinely touched.
I could have gotten on my high horse and gave him a speech about getting his life together and personal responsibility and yadda, yadda, yadda, but I just shook his hand and sent him on his way with a blessing.
Who knows? Maybe he laughed as soon as I was out of sight. Maybe he headed back to Little Falls. Maybe I'll see him down there begging again tomorrow and I'll bust him out for it.
Maybe he was an angel?
Posted by Surly Dave on
Friday, September 22, 2006
