His cardboard sign simply said "Just Hungry"

[cmjust0]

Quote:
Strangers with candy.....that's what I always think of when I hear this advice..

I mean, if I were out begging and knew that a huge number of people despised beggars and saw them as subhuman, I think I'd probably have to politely decline if a perfect stranger tried to hand me a sack of food.

Maybe that sounds like looking a gift horse in the mouth, but hey...I'd rather seem impolite and ungrateful than to eat something that had been intentionally tainted to rid the world of another worthless bum..

And, no, I don't have a better solution.. I'm just sayin'.

 

[faykokoWV]

Quote:
Strangers with candy.....that's what I always think of when I hear this advice..

I mean, if I were out begging and knew that a huge number of people despised beggars and saw them as subhuman, I think I'd probably have to politely decline if a perfect stranger tried to hand me a sack of food.

Maybe that sounds like looking a gift horse in the mouth, but hey...I'd rather seem impolite and ungrateful than to eat something that had been intentionally tainted to rid the world of another worthless bum..

And, no, I don't have a better solution.. I'm just sayin'.

how about a gift card for a place to eat

 

[deb1]

Quote:
This is why I only give food. We ALL need to eat. I saw a young man once that was just sitting against a brick wall, filthy. I bought him a cooked chicken, when he looked up, he was one of my son's friends, whose parents threw him out. I had a houseguest for a few days - that was a freaky experience.

Seriously, this sounds like the hand of God was at work at that moment.

 

[cmjust0]

Quote:
Hey, there ya go.. I like that idea!.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Your hubby has you pegged.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

We had a gentleman who had a sign that said "will work for food". We brought him home. He worked for 2 days for us. He ate well, showered, had his clothing washed, had a clean fresh bed to sleep in and helped us around the farm. He worked HARD!!

We paid him $75. (Believe me, he EARNED it) And we told him if he ever passed this way again to call us and he could work for us again.

We felt better when he left and I think he did too.

I think you did a good deed. Be proud of yourself.

Laurie

 

[deb1]

I think that God sometimes speaks to us through our emotions. If you feel that God wants you to help that person, then please do so. It sounds like, in this instance, that the OP was doing exactly what God wanted her to do.

 

[chickabator]

there was a man a few years ago here that stood outside the grocery store and asked for a dollar from everyone that went in or was coming out. I went in to grab a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread and I bought a ready made sandwhich, a little pint of milk and a small little debbie cake, when I came back out of the store I tried to give him the food and he would not take it, yet he was telling everyone he was hungry. He got so mad when I tried to give him the food, oh well I tried.
then another time there was this little old man standing outsid a convience store and he asked me if I had any change I could spare, all I had on me was 1.50 in quarters, I gave it to him, walked in the store door and remembered I had forgotten something in the car turned around and that little man was gone. I mean this was just a matter of about 10 seconds, he was no where in sight I even walked around the other side of the store and he was no where. It was so amazing, but one thing I know for a fact, I gave him every single thing I had, I did not have any other money what so ever. I was blessed more by giving it than anyone can ever imagine.

 

[ruth]

It usually takes me several pages before I post on one of these threads but here's my favorite words in red concerning how we are to treat those in need:

Mat. 25:34 "Then I, the King, shall say to those at my right, 'Come, blessed of my Father, into the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. Mat. 25:35 For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; Mat. 25:36 naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me.' Mat. 25:37 "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Sir, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Mat. 25:38 Or a stranger, and help you? Or naked, and clothe you? Mat. 25:39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' Mat. 25:40 "And I, the King, will tell them, 'When you did it to these my brothers you were doing it to me!' Mat. 25:41 Then I will turn to those on my left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. Mat. 25:42 For I was hungry and you wouldn't feed me; thirsty, and you wouldn't give me anything to drink; Mat 25:43 a stranger, and you refused me hospitality; naked, and you wouldn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' Mat. 25:44 "Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?' Mat 25:45 "And I will answer, 'When you refused to help the least of these my brothers, you were refusing help to me.' Mat. 25:46 "And they shall go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous into everlasting life."

and

Luke 6:38 For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give--large or small--will be used to measure what is given back to you."


I just found a site that lists every bible scripture (old and new) that references the poor, hungry, sick, needy and what we are to do:

http://www.friendships.org/Scriptures.html

Funny, not a single one of them mentions "Beware, they might be scamming you."

To the OP and others who have posted similar stories - reading your posts brings tears to my eyes. Always, always offer help to those in need. I'm sure the Lord looks down and says "well done my good and faithful servant".

 

[agnes_day]

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

seriously though, i bet jesus would never tell someone to throw caution to the wind and risk getting robbed, beaten or worse to give someone some change. not saying that anyone here has, but i think a lot of times when people give,*again, not speaking of anyone here at all* its more to stroke their ego and make themselves feel important than it has to do with genuine concern. who hasn't patted themselves on the back?