Living in Austin has presented a new theological tension for me. To introduce this tension the scriptural framework for today’s reflection comes from Luke 6:27-38:
27“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
I heard Andy Stanley preach on this about a month or so ago, and it has stuck with me. First, he sets the record straight that there are two verses within this passage that are often pulled out of context. The first is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (v.30)”, while the second is “Do not judge, lest not you be judged (v.37)”.
Andy challenges the listener to read this passage in its entirety and see for yourself that the two above verses have everything to do with GIVING TO ANYONE WHO ASKS- even if it is your enemy who is asking for help. Why? Because not only will your reward be great, but more importantly, we are to be merciful just as our Father has been merciful to each of us. After all, He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked, which was all of us before we placed our trust in Christ for our salvation. Thus, when we embrace that we are all on a level playing field before God and have experienced His mercy, then it also follows that we are to be merciful by not judging others who ask for help. Jesus’ message is give to anyone who asks and do not demand it back or expect repayment. We can’t use the excuse that someone is our enemy. We can’t judge others by sizing them up and determining if they are “worthy” of being helped as none of us were worthy of His mercy, but He was merciful to us anyway.
Now that you have the scriptural background, let me share the latest tension. When I lived in Hutchinson, not once in the 15 years that I was there did I see one person standing on a street corner panhandling. My experience in Austin is quite the opposite. Everyday that I drive to work and get around town, there is a panhandler on almost every corner. I see 1-2 panhandlers/day. These panhandlers are getting sophisticated in their asking for help. I documented their signs verbatim while sitting at red lights:
“Giving is like sharing.”
“Need Work – not giving up –God Bless, Happy New Year”
“Happy Holidays and New Year”
“Happy Holidays – Anything Helps – Thank You”
“No gimmicks, no lies, just need a little help”
“Willing to work – hungry – WWJD”
“It’s going to be sooooooo cold tomorrow – please help”
“Will work – need help- Thanks”
“Homeless and out of work – anything helps – even chump change”
“In need of an angel – anything is a blessing – thank you”
“Cold, hungry, God Bless”
“Can’t find a job – need to survive- legalizing God’s Word”
“Blind Texan – God Bless”
“Homeless & Hungry – need help-everybody needs help sometime – God Bless”
These are people who are asking, and I could roll down my window and give what little cash I tend to carry in my wallet any way. But here’s the tension. Years ago when I had lived in Houston and saw panhandlers everyday, I had a pretty calloused attitude toward them because I was quite judgmental of them. I had preconceived notions that they were manipulators who were lazy and wanted easy handouts. I made the assumption that they would take the money and buy alcohol and cigarettes with it, and why would I dare enable such spending? I also believed that by my rolling the window down and giving them cash was only rewarding their decision to stand on a street corner to ask for money. It didn’t help when the Houston Chronicle did a feature that indicated that some of these panhandlers made $30K/yr by standing at a major intersection by the Galleria Mall on Westheimer!
This tension is very real for me. My flesh wants to judge them, or point them to organizations who are designed to give to those in need to relieve possible guilt, yet I believe the scripture is quite clear that I am to give to any person who asks. What if they would take cash and buy alcohol? Who am I to judge that or to assume that? When it comes to giving, should I use discernment about who I give to? If yes, then isn’t that a glorified way of saying I am judging a person and their circumstances? Am I being specifically asked just because I happen to see a panhandler’s sign sitting at an intersection? Am I off the hook if the light is green and I never had to stop at the intersection?
While I am resolving this tension, I am going to err on the side of giving to everyone who asks. I think I am going to pursue McDonalds gift certificates so that I can give a meal to someone in need and know that I didn’t judge them or ignore them. I look forward to the day I can roll down my window and not even feel a tension. When that happens, I know I have quit attempting to judge the panhandler.
Blessings,
Lee Ann
