Help Lord! Where Have All the Good Men Gone!?!
If you are a single woman like I am, and your getting up there in age, I know that this question has crossed your mind more than just a few times! 
For me, this question often pops into my mind when I am driving past a certain intersection in my town. He stands, on the corner, I know that you have seen the intersection too, he isn’t dressed all the great, his bag looks pretty beaten up, his shoes are worn, and he totes a cardboard poster that reads, “Please. I need money for food. God bless you.”
As I pass by the intersection, my heart is always jerked, and I feel compelled to assist him, and many times I have. But what really hurts my heart, is when I see the number of cars that drive by the same intersection, and not one person offers up anything to the man.
Ok, ok, so I know that you are thinking that maybe he’s a con artist of some kind, and that he’s getting all that money for free, instead of going out and getting a job, or maybe he will use the money to buy alcohol, or drugs, or cigarettes—and so, there is no way on earth that you would be willing to give to such a cause!?
And that is why I ask the question, “Help Lord! Where have all the Good Men gone?” Or to put it another way, “God, where has the goodness of mankind gone?”
Really now, have our hearts grown cold with compassion? Are we seeing these similar scenes on a daily basis, so much so that we have become numb to the realities we encounter? What happened to the days when we would see someone who was in need, and be willing to help them?
Jesus shared with us in the book of John (12:8), that there will always be poor people that live around us. In fact, in the Bible, there are 2,000 verses that tell us exactly how God feels about poverty and injustice, as well as His command to us to help put an end to it.
I know, I know, some of you are thinking, how many times am I going to give for one day? And how much am I expected to give? It’s not really about, the “how much”, but it is the point of “being willing to give”…after all, I have never heard someone who was in need reject something that was given.
God has asked us to give to those in need…but He has not stipulated how much, so simply give what you can.
The book of Proverbs (19:17), tells us that, if we take the time to bless the poor, God in turn will bless us with a great reward! A great reward from God? Now who wouldn’t want that! But even greater than that, is that possibly in your giving, you may have just had the opportunity to give to God Himself! (Matthew 25:35).
February 26, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Chanda, your outlook on street poverty reminds me of going to downtown DC with Clifford Goldstein. He always carried a few extra dollar bills to give to those who asked for them.
Not only is this biblical, but it also cuts down on crime.
Of course this can be overdone, and a case can be made for offering to buy a Subway sandwich for people who beg rather than handing them cash. I’ve done that too, and I suspect you have as well.
It’s interesting to apply your principles to the political arena. It seems that Republicans tend to focus on the book of Proverbs with its admonitions for personal responsibility, while Democrats tend to focus on Isaiah and the other prophets with their passion for social justice.
My take on this is that God wants us to be diligent on a personal level, like Proverbs enjoins, but merciful and generous (without being stupid) regarding the needy around us.
Compassion without enabling is quite a challenge–sometimes more of an spiritual art than a science.
Martin
March 5, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Powerful messagae Pastor Chanda! Thanks for that reminder.
Stay blessed and encouraged!
July 18, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I love Matt. 25
I think that the problem for some of us is that we often try and figure out of the person is worthy or not? Is he trying to con us?
Jesus didn’t ask us to figure that out worthiness. He said freely you have been given, freely give!!! Faith hope and love, But the greatest of these is love. Great topic! thks.
1 Cor. 13