I was with a group of men today and one brought up that he felt bad about telling a panhandler no when asked for money. I've seen the guy. He has a double above the knee amputation and is in a wheelchair. He gets out in the middle of a fairly busy street and approaches cars with a sad story and a request for money. I admit that I saw him in the street one day as I was at a stop sign and thought; "I hope I can get through this intersection without having to deal with him." My rational mind tells me that anyone in that shape has some type of disability, probably Social Security Disability of some kind, and Medicare/Medicaid. So, he shouldn't be out there, right? Others talked about various situations they'd been in where they felt a panhandler was probably running a scam. One said he knew about the amputee, and that he was a known drug user. Others talked about panhandlers in the community who were known to be cons, making lots of money off the sympathies of passers by. As I think about it now, I know that Jesus and the apostles dealt with just this type of person as they walked about Jerusalem. What would they do?
A Lame Man Healed
ACTS 3: 1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Now there's a real faith challenge! Do I have the guts to try it? (I know I should say with religious intonation: Do I have the faith to try it?) It is all too easy to look away isn't it. We're busily on our way somewhere, just like the people who weren't Good Samaritans. Got to get someplace to do my thing. But is this God's thing staring us in the face? Dealing with the drug abusing panhandling amputee. What would Jesus do? Indeed. Not give you what you want necessarily, but give you what you need. Did Jesus pass by sometimes? We think he must have stopped and ministered to every beggar. But what about that guy above, did he leave him for Peter to minister to in the power of the Holy Spirit? Jesus said He only did what the Father told and showed Him to do. He might have walked past him, the beggar was there daily the Bible says. It gets complicated. I have thirty seconds to decide what to do, turn away, pretend I don't see, hand a few cheap dollars out the window, try to let God work through me. What will I do? What will you do?
