What Would Jesus Do?

I have never known the exact right thing to do when I meet the poor and destitute.
Is it just about giving them money to meet their immediate needs?
What if they aren't for real?
Suppose they're druggies or cheats or criminals?

But really what's been keeping me from being generous is a wrong perspective. I am just not used to seeing people who aren't as presentable/well-adjusted/respectable as most people you and I know, and I don't know if I'm supposed to feel sorry, do something for them, or to turn away and pretend I didn't see them just so I can get on with my day.

Back home, I had just graduated from complete nonchalance to actually paying attention to the old ladies and blind folk who sometimes go from table to table at food centres selling 3 packets of tissue for $1.

Tonight, the Lord challenged me again. We were at Hungry Jack's in Werribee town centre, enjoying our burgers and fries, when a young lady in a red shawl stopped by our table to ask,"Have you any change?"

My instant reaction was "No."

She went on to the next table, where a man sat eating his burger.

"Have you any change?" And she sat down in front of him.

I saw him open his wallet and give her something.

Hubby and I had a quick discussion. What if she were Jesus in disguise? Oughtn't we to give her something? Hubby fished out a $2 coin. I remembered I actually had lots of small change on me (and was in fact balking that afternoon about how heavy it made my wallet, the shame!) and dug out my wallet. I counted out $3 in change and waited for the lady to come our way again. She did.

"Have you any change?" she asked as she turned around and headed back our way.

I gave her the coins. She said thank you, then paused and looked at me. I asked if it was enough. She said she wanted to get a meal, not just a burger, but a Value Meal. She evidently wasn't sure if she had enough. I got up and offered to go with her to the counter while she placed her order. I said if she didn't have enough, I would top up the rest for her.

Why didn't I just buy her a meal with my own money and let her keep the change she'd managed to collect? How was she supposed to manage tomorrow and the day after? I don't know. It was partly out of wanting to respect her dignity, I think. So I let her place her order and lay out her change (while wondering to myself if perhaps I'd gotten the definition of "dignity" wrong). She had no idea how much the meal cost, but she was very definite that she wanted the Chicken Burger meal.

The waitress patiently counted the coins, then said she was 70 cts short. I paid the shortfall. The young lady thanked me. While we waited for her food to be ready, I asked where she came from and how she was going to get home. I couldn't help wondering about her dirt-streaked face and hands and what looked like dried blood on her nose. What was her story? In reply, she mumbled something I couldn't understand. As we walked to the tables, I asked if she wanted to join us. She said no, she couldn't, and sat one table behind, where she tried to make eye contact with Beth and chat her up, but Beth was terrified and hid behind her Daddy.

As we drove back to our comfortable guesthouse that night, hubby and I talked over the incident. I remarked that it really changed my view of things when I saw my money as not actually belonging to me but to God; hubby agreed. I wondered where the young lady would put up tonight. It had been windy the whole afternoon and evening, and was now starting to drizzle. Where would a homeless person go to find shelter? And how would she find food tomorrow? Eating out in Oz is expensive. More importantly, how did she come to be in this state, and what was the best way for her to achieve a sustainable source of help and income?

The questions are endless.
What would Jesus have us do? What would He have done?
Would He have stopped at giving her money? Probably not.
Would He have sat down to listen to her story? Probably.
Would He have invited her home so she could have a warm bed for the night? Perhaps.
Would He have helped her find a job, a home, a support network, invited her to church?
If these thoughts are occurring to me, surely God is able and willing to do much more?

What would Jesus have me do??