What Would Jesus Have Us Do?

Post by **_Homer** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 10:56 pm

My wife recently read the book "Under the Overpass" by Mike Yankoski (Multnomah Press). Mike and his friend Sam lived for five months as homeless people to find out if their faith was real - could they be the Christians they claimed to be apart from the comforts they had always known? They lived among alcoholics and drug addicts, panhandled and ate from dumpsters. Their advice regarding panhandlers is to never give them money. They suggested determining the need and give food or warm clothing, etc. This is in line with Matt's suggestions.

Post by **_Paidion** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:44 am

About 15 years ago, I spent a week at a Christian camp in the East Carribean island of Grenada.

In the capital "city" of St.George, I observed a man in a wheel chair without legs. I struck up a conversation with him. Not once did he ask for money.

I asked him what he was doing out in the street. He said that he was a beggar. I asked whether he received any pension from the government because of his disability. He answered that he did, but that it was not enough to live on. So he had to beg to make up the difference. Even then, he didn't ask for any money. But before I departed, I gave him a few dollars. He was very grateful.

Post by **_Roger** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:49 am

It seems like panhandlers are everywhere and it has become a money making deal. Most of the ones I pass seem to be able bodied and could have some sort of job. Paul said "if a man doesn't work, neither let him eat". The last I heard the unemployment rate was around 4.7 percent. I have also heard that you can make three to five hundred a day panhandling. A friend of mine was asked the time of day by a panhadler and when he told him what time it was, the guy said "wow...I'm making 18 bucks an hour."
The numbers of them have swelled and I believe most(not all) of them have found a way to play on peoples emotions and make a lot of untaxable dollars.

I was told another story by my sister in law that where she lives a panhandlers wife was working a job to make money and he would take his young daughter to another town and stand on a corner with the daughter to help tug on peoples emotions....make money ...and then go back home when he was finished.

That's my opinon. Hope I haven't offended anyone. If it was the Great Depression it would be different but the economy is quite healthy.

Roger

Post by **_Anonymous** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:19 am

Mattrose, I think you have shown a lot of wisdom there.

6. Try to limit the risk
Should I pick up that hitch-hiker? A good policy is to keep the risk to a minimum. What time of day is it? What's the reputation of that road? I am not sure a woman driver should make a habit of picking up male hitch-hikers.

It may just be your manner of speaking that is throwing me off, but I would say that a woman should never pick up a male hitch-hiker.

Roger,

I think I'm kinda lazy...it's a little too much work for me to assess the economic climate, intuit the 'tug at the heartstrings' ploy, or evaluate the mental capacity and/or employability of someone asking for money. If I've got some, I just give it. However, I live in the most suburban suburb ever sub-divided by man; there just aren't that many panhandlers around here, so I'm not going broke.

Post by **_JD** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:30 am

Hi Michelle,

Yorba Linda?

One thing we do as a family (and house church) is go out to feed, clothe, and give blankets to the homeless at the local Civic Center every once in a while.

Additionally, we sometimes pack goods in our vehicles, so that when we see panhandlers, we can hand them a bag of supplies - food, toiletries, etc. Pack a tract in there, and it's "all good", as the kids would say.

I think such ministry provides opportunity to be open to the Holy Spirit's creative leading.

JD

Post by **_Anonymous** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:40 am

Hi JD,

Rancho Cucamonga

Post by **_mattrose** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:25 pm

Michelle wrote: It may just be your manner of speaking that is throwing me off, but I would say that a woman should never pick up a male hitch-hiker.

You may be right (unless the Holy Spirit prompts a girl to do so)

I posted this list on my blog and my friend tammy told the following story:

I remember a couple of years ago, when I was driving back to Ohio for the summer, I stopped at a gas station in Pennsylvania. There was a young man there who saw the Ohio plates on my car and approached me about a ride to Cleveland, because the people he was with (a magazine salesteam) had left him behind. I was really unsure, but I felt the Holy Spirit telling me it was okay. So I verified his story with the station attendent and gave him a ride to Cleveland, which was about two hours. We talked for a bit, mostly about what I was up to (college and stuff). Then he slept most of the way, and I have no idea what happened to him after I dropped him off. Sure my dad yelled at me for it, but that's because he doesn't know what it's like to have a peace about doing something.

I pry worded it the way I did b/c i have some feminist friends that get mad when i word things the way i want to