I Just Want to Know

If you walk in DC or NY, you're inevitably going to be asked for money. And I hate to say this, but inevitably at the worst, most inconvenient time -- when your hands are full or you're boarding the train or you just feel too vulnerable at that moment.

I love the C.S. Lewis story about this: "One day, Lewis and a friend were walking down the road and came upon a street person who reached out to them for help. While his friend kept walking, Lewis stopped and proceeded to empty his wallet. When they resumed their journey, his friend asked, 'What are you doing giving him your money like that? Don't you know he's just going to squander all that on ale?' Lewis paused and replied, 'That's all I was going to do with it.'"

But seriously, I don't know what to do. I never know what to do in these circumstances. The very best thing I ever saw done was when a colleague was approached in the train station in Philadelphia. The beggar asked for money to buy food, and my colleague loved the person, stood up, and went and bought them a meal. I've always thought that was a magical moment.

Yet I still don't know what to do. So I just want to know this. Just this one thing: Did Jesus ever say no to someone who asked for help? Did Jesus ever simply pass by the beggars without fulfilling their requests for money? (Oh, I know the story of the two apostles -- silver and gold have we none, but we'll give you what we do have -- Jesus.) But maybe they really had no money that day.

Did Jesus ever not stop?

I don't know, but I wish I did.