Kassiquan

I am Skeptical

On my way home from work, I take the Q train from Brooklyn into Manhattan.  A woman gets on the train wearing a white blouse, denim jacket and jeans.  This woman says in a loud voice, “I’m hungry.  I don’t’ have a job and I’m three months pregnant.  Can someone please help me?”  A few months later, wearing a pink blouse, the same woman gets on the train and says in a loud voice, “I’m hungry.  I don’t’ have a job and I’m three months pregnant.  Can someone please help me?”  I notice that her stomach looks flat and still she claims she is three months pregnant.  Yes, I am skeptical.

This woman is only one of three that I usually see on the train ride home.  The other two are men; one will be in a wheel chair saying “I live in a shelter.  Any spare change, even a penny will help so I can pay for my bed tonight.”  I notice that he is able to get around using his legs and feet to “walk the chair” while still sitting and the guy is young.  Yes, I am skeptical.  The second man says, “I am a veteran.  I just lost my job and I am homeless.  I don’t use drugs and I don’t drink.  Anything you can give me will be much appreciated.  This man is clean and able bodied.  Yes, I am skeptical.

A young person sits cross legged on a blanket, a dog lying beside him.  “I am homeless and lost my job,” the words on the frayed cardboard sign read.  I look the person over who seems to looks well and quite healthy in tattered clothes.  There are quite a few, young men and women scattered throughout downtown Manhattan with dogs next to them.  Another person stand’s outside a bank holding doors open for patrons.  “Can you spare some change?  A penny will be helpful.”  When no one gives, “God bless you,” is the person’s response.  Yes, I am skeptical.

I walk from the subway train to the office each weekday morning.  I see the same two people at different corners that walk up to me and say, “Can I have a dollar; no longer a quarter these days.  One is always well dressed, wears and seems to have a nice wardrobe of coats in the winter.  Although I pass this person every morning, she still asks for that dollar.  Yes, I am skeptical.

One morning, riding to work on the subway, a woman, who was sitting opposite me and to the right watches people get off and on the train at the next stop’  The is pregnant, or so I thought..  There is another woman sitting next to me and I notice she takes a picture of the pregnant woman with her cell phone.  The pregnant woman gets up and approaches me to asking for money.  The woman sitting beside me says, “Don’t give her any money.  I saw her on the other train with no belly and she was in the corner seat counting out a wad of money.”  Everyone on the train laughs and the “pregnant” woman now at the other end of the car shouts “Shut our ______ mouth.  Mind your own business.”  Yes, I am really skeptical.

Yes, I am skeptical.  I shouldn’t be.  I know the story in the Gospel of Matthew that when an opportunity presents itself to help the poor; feed them, give them a drink that you are helping Jesus (Matthew 25:34-40).  Judas Iscariot was concerned about the poor when he questioned waste of expensive oil that should have been sold to help the poor.  Jesus’s reply was that the poor would always be with us (Matthew 26:1-8).  But still, I am skeptical.  Why, I guess it has to do with my experience years ago during my first year of Bible College while living in Philadelphia. 

I was on my way home from class one afternoon and I had stopped at a KFC to have lunch.  On my way out, a homeless gentleman approached me asking for some change, “I’m hungry.”  I took the homeless gentleman inside KFC, told him to pick out what he wished and I paid for it.  We went out the door together and I proceeded to walk up the block.  I just happened to turn around and see the gentleman turn down alley.  I saw him throw the entire bag into the dumpster that sat at the edge of the alley.  “Not sure I will be doing this again;” I said.  I was left skeptical.

A few years later I am taking the train to attend Seminary classes.  A man and woman with two small children stand on the platform to take the same train.  They couple laugh and talk with their children and I see them almost every day taking the same train.  A few months later, a man gets on the train and hands out small business cards with the sign language alphabet and a note saying that he cannot speak or hear and asks for a donation.  I recognize who the man is, the one with the woman children that I had not seen in the past few months.  Yes, I was skeptical.

But am I really skeptical.  There are times when I feel a tug at my heart, and am strongly prompted or spontaneously nudged by God’s Spirit, to help someone; I give.  Yes, I will swipe my transit card for someone wanting to get on the subway.  Yes, I will give the rest of my change when I use cash to buy lunch.  My being skeptical does not mean I do not have a heart; I do.  I have grown more cautious and observant of those who approach me for money these days.  God tells us to be wise as serpents but gentle as doves (Matthew 10:16).  You have to be cautious today because there are a lot of “scammers” out there; like the woman who is still three months pregnant or the woman whose picture was taken with a cell phone, or the man walking around while seated in a wheel chair.

I do not carry cash much now days; I use the “plastic.”  I do have coins I carry around; dimes and nickels that I might give to persons who might be short on bus fare.  Yes, I do have heart, but I do not give to everyone begging for money.  Let the Spirit lead.  Let me conclude with this incident that a friend recently shared with me that made me laugh.  My friend was recently approached by a homeless person asking for a dollar.  My friend does have a heart for the poor.  He got out his wallet and handed the person a dollar bill.  My friend said the homeless person looked at the wallet and said,, “Can I have five instead?”  “What,” my friend said.  “Give me back the dollar.”  Ha, ha, ha.