Today was interesting.
I had a gig I was supposed to play and sing down by the river. I got there and the event had been
canceled. I was bummed, so I pulled out
my guitar and just sat along the Durango Riverwalk and worked on some
songs. After a bit, three of our local
indigenous vagrants happened along and sat down with me. I thought they were going to try to get
money, but instead they asked me to sing something. I figured, what the heck. I did Marshall Tucker Band’s “Bob Away My
Blues.” They were so appreciative and
all gave me kudos and knuckle bumps as they shuffled off to Wagon Wheel Liquors…and
you know, I’ve rarely had such an attentive and appreciative audience! Makes you think. It also makes me wonder what could I have
said that would have made a difference in their lives? Anything?
I suspect I will run into them again in time.
Then today a lady came up to me in Church and asked me for
money and also would I buy her groceries, give her a ride home and pay for her
motel room. She was in her 70s and was a
“homeless traveler.” Her expectation of
me was that I was a Christian and therefore was supposed to support her life
choices financially (turns out she is on Social Security.) She appeared well fed and was very particular
about what I should buy her at the grocery store. Though I got her a couple nights in the motel
and another friend gave her money for groceries, I can’t help but feel that she
was rather arrogantly taking advantage of people when she had other options in
her past and current life choices.
Perhaps mental derangement is part of her problem, but she seemed to
like her lifestyle. Most of my other
friends in church just walked away from her or ignored her, largely because of
her arrogance and ungrateful attitude. She
kept repeating “no one is going to tell me what to do” any time someone offered
a helpful suggestion. I am
conflicted. How much does the one in
needs’ personal responsibility weigh in to another’s decision to help them.
So, two different scenarios in two days. I have four adopted children overseas, where
do I draw the line on my offers to help?
When does my help not solve a problem, but rather facilitate a
dysfunctional lifestyle? How do I know
they are in need at all? I know a guy
who dresses “ratty” homeless (though he’s not) sings on the sidewalk and
basically uses it to beg for money from passersby. He told me he makes more at that than he does
at his job.
What would Jesus do?
What would you do?
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