THE BEGGAR

To give or not to give? That is the question that I had asked myself for many years when I would see those people holding up their homemade cardboard signs at different intersections. As a christian, it was very hard to just drive on by without giving them SOMETHING. Their chosen solicitation locations were usually placed at well traveled stop light or stop sign locations.

Do you find yourself trying to pretend that you don't see them? For a giving person that is a very hard thing to do. Even when my funds were very low, or even after I had already given to one of them on the opposite side of town, I would still manage to give SOMETHING out of guilt.

Psalm 37:25 (NIV)
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

Psalm 37:26 (NIV)
They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.

I am referring to the beggars who can be seen holding up their signs that read "Will work for food." This is usually more noticeable on the high traffic weekends. The day finally came WHEN I just couldn't give any amount of money to that person standing there at the stop sign. I was literally short of money myself. That night I pleaded with The Lord to help me KNOW when to give or not to give. The answer came to me so clearly the next morning, AFTER The Lord took me on a field trip with Him to get my answer. Another show and tell experience.

After finishing my morning hair client this day , I had a cancellation called in that would now give me a 2 hour empty slot. I had no one waiting to come in. I thought, well I will just go inside of my house and do some cleaning. I would just keep busy until the next appointment would come in later that day. WRONG ! A strong suggestive thought came into my head..."Get in your car and ride". I knew that it was going to be an interesting trip. I had already been on some other Jesus Field Trips before. I had never been instructed by The Holy Spirit to actually close shop to do this hwever before. "Lord where am I going?" I heard in my heart " I will show you, just drive..."

I got into my car and drove to the end of my street. "Which direction do I turn Lord, ?" I took a left and headed down a then 2 lane road. A couple of miles down, I was instructed to take a right and head toward the 167 South 4 lane interstate. At the red light that I was now stopped at was a beggar with his sign standing there waiting on me and everyone else. I said "OK Lord, what do I do now?" I heard "Don't give." I was then told to look to my right toward the 167 North 4 lane interstate on the opposite side. There he was, another poor man with long hair could be seen in the distance WALKING with his head down searching for something on the side of the highway. I asked "Lord, what is he doing?" The response was "He is working for his food." The man didn't seem to be aware of the busy passing traffic. He only had his eyes focused on what he was doing. He was too busy to notice. Wow, It was if time hadv been slowed down for me to take this all in. That red light sure did stay red for a long time. The beggar at the red light was now waving his sign at me to get my attention. I just smiled and drove on when the light finally turned green.

I suddenly found myself very hungry. It was lunch time and I assumed that it was now time for me to go home and eat lunch. WRONG !
I found myself ordering more food than I would normally for myself. As I was sitting down with this food, the door opened and a man in raggedy clothes and long hair entered. I watched as he went to inspect the scraps of food left on a few tables with his hands clasped behind his back. He then went to ask the owner permission to gather his meal from these various left overs. He never approached any of us that were there. The owner gave him permission and handed him a clean food tray. I thought of the bible story of Lazaras the begger who longed to just be able to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. This man gathered what he wanted and then placed the rest of the scraps into the nearby trash can. He sat down, wiped his hands, placed a napkin on his lap and then proceeded to pray over his meal. This is what he could be heard praying "Dear Lord I thank you for this provision today. I ask you to bless this place and this food that I am about to eat. With a grateful heart...Amen."

I went to his table and asked permission to sit with him. I told him that I wanted to share a drink and some of my food with him. He said that I didn't have to do that and then replied, "I am not a beggar". I told him that I knew that to be true. I told him that The Lord had instructed me to share my meal with him. He just smiled, and said thank you. Before leaving him to enjoy his meal, I asked him...what is your name sir, he replied "My friends call me Larry."

Have you ever met an angel? They don't always have wings..
I got my answer to my question that day...

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrew 13:2 (KJV)

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