Hungry

He asked me to buy him some food.  I was on my way somewhere else.  I was almost late.  I am ashamed that my first thought was one of annoyance.  And even disbelief.  He said he hadn't eaten in 4 days.  And I didn't believe him.

I could have walked past him and onto my destination.  My whole life, I have lived in a city that discriminates against people of his cultural background.  How many people have walked past him and thought, or even said, derogatory things about the way he looks, or the way he talks, or the way he begged me for food?

I went into a nearby shop.  I bought a pizza for less than $7.  I handed it to him.  It cost me pretty much nothing, and I am ashamed that I almost didn't do it.  Who am I to question?  "But," the voices in my city and in my past would say, "He probably spent his money on alcohol and that's why he didn't have any for food."  "He's probably going to ask someone else the same thing in a few hours."

I am ashamed that my first thought was not compassion; compassion for someone who is desperate enough to ask strangers to feed him.  It doesn't matter what he spent his money on.  It doesn't matter if he asks strangers for food a thousand more times.  Our city, our country, our society will never grow more compassionately if we think he doesn't deserve it just because he may make choices in his life that we disagree with.  "There but for the grace of God, go I."

Dear sir, I am sorry if I seemed annoyed or rushed.  I am sorry for whatever brought you to today and I hope there is love and comfort in your life somewhere.  I hope you are fed and fed well, in both your body and spirit.  May your Creator make you feel safe and loved and that you are a precious creation.

And though I have grown in my own compassion and empathy, may it grow even more.  Clearly, it needs to.

Matthew 25:35-40  The Message (MSG)

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' 

Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me.'