two cents

The neighborhood where we've planted our business growing. It's changing. It used to be the roughest part of downtown. Tomorrow night we'll go to a fancy party where the short film we created is being premiered, and all the who's who of the city will be in attendance.

But yet, the neighborhood remains a mix of the swanky and downtrodden.

Yesterday, we were talking to a guy who owns a music venue on the strip, and we started swapping stories about panhandlers. Naively, when asked for change, I've always thought they really needed to use the bus (though on many occasions, they've walked in a direction opposite of the stop), but this guy lives on a different part of the street, where drugs and sex are the currency.

On a delivery walk this afternoon, warm for February yet rainy, a man stopped me, asking for gas money. He had (what I'm assuming) is crack pipe burns on his lips.

Then there's Rodney, who is mentally challenged but a man of God, who comes in regularly and asks if he can help. He brought our mail to the post office last week in exchange for a few minutes of warmth on our couch.

There's another guy who helped us bring in a chair last week. He openly admitted to being an alcoholic, and asked for a dollar for a beer to go to the liquor store down the street in exchange for his 15 seconds of labor. I told him I didn't want to buy him beer, and he responded by criticizing me, saying, "What? You don't drink?"

I told him I drink occasionally, but it's not adversely affecting the rest of my life.

I'm torn between the Scriptures that often come to mind when I'm faced with these situations. There's times when I have compassion, there's times when I don't. James 2 is a perfect example:

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Faith and Deeds

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

There's also Jesus' comments in Luke 6:29-31, and 31-34 (via The Message):

"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

And, finally, there's the admonition in Romans 14:13 to not put any stumbling block in others paths, which is readily applicable when your pocket change may go to crack or booze or prostitutes.

Interestingly enough, it talks about not judging (something I do instantly when I'm asked for change).

"Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister."