Who Pulled the Rug Out?

Who Pulled the Rug Out?

When I pull up to a stop light and there is someone down on their luck holding a cardboard sign stating he or she needs money, I often wonder how in the world did they get to that point? What turn of events brought them to standing on a street corner asking for money, food, or a job? What was their former life? Could they have been a CEO for a huge company or perhaps a business owner or even someone that fault for our freedom in the war? Maybe they had it all and chose to give it up in a divorce so that there wife and children could live comfortably. What brought on these changes which led them living to depending on money from our hands to theirs?

How many times have we sat at that stop light judging them for not working or assuming they were just lazy and decided to take the easy way begging for money? I’m guilty of that. Really, who isn’t? When have you held back giving them money when you clearly knew you should, because you assumed they would buy drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes with it? Are we not playing God here? Who are we to determine who receives a blessing? Wow, what if God looked at us that way? What if God said, well, they just aren’t going to use that gift in the right way, so I won’t give it to them? It’s a good thing God doesn’t give us what we deserve, huh? God’s amazing grace, without it where would you be? If God had ignored your needs, how would your life be different? We need to extend grace to others just as God did to us. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)


We need to stop labeling people and assuming. Everyone has a story. We may not know their story, but if we feel led by God to do something then we need to do it regardless of what we think the person is going to do with the gift. If we don’t obey God, then we have sinned. When we give someone a gift, we GIVE it, it is no longer ours. The gift is out of our hands and in the hands of the person that has received it. It is up to that person to do what God is leading them to do with that gift. We just have to be obedient in doing our part.

Give freely and spontaneously. Don't have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God's, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. Deuternomoy 15:10