so unlike many of the things i write on here, this is not polished or edited – just a random string of thoughts.
i encountered a poor, possibly homeless man in san antonio on the riverwalk this weekend. he was nice enough, and looking for a meal… whether he actually was looking for the meal or not is not my concern. God does not require that the money i give the poor be used in a certain way. the giving is my responsibility… the using is theirs, and we will each be blessed accordingly.
none the less, as i drove home, i felt disappointed in my actions. certainly i felt as though i’d acted out of a sense of charity and compassion… i truly did feel sorry for the man, and i gave cheerfully without wanting anything in return, though he offered to send money in the mail.
i suppose what bothers me the most is that if i’m honest, i think i just tried to buy him off. i wasn’t really interested in how i could help him. i didn’t care what his problems were, or why he was in the situation. i didn’t take the time to listen to his story. i don’t even know his name.
instead, in the busy rush to go get coffee that cost more than what i gave him, i passed by a hurting soul who needed jesus.
what a waste.