Storehouse versus Faithful Stewart and Shepherd

There lies the con-artist

The person on the corner, the person begging for money. 

My daughter said, “Mom just screams at them ……. She tells them to go get a job”.

Not harsh, but to be considered.  She works in a homeless shelter.  Desensitize to the need one would say. But she helps them at the shelter, goes above and beyond at times. 

So, the conversation was, “I will not give them money”.  One guy in Zebulon, gets into his Mercedes after begging. 

I will not give them money.  One time on Trawick, "I almost went back," he said.   

Then, there is the 76 year old, whom has been begging for 5 to six years.  [perhaps he was denied disability and is going through the years of appeal and that process, do not know, but did you sit and talk with that person before condemning them, did you ask instead of presume.]

That immediately comes to my mind is this, my years working with the homeless.  Sometimes, homelessness is defined by the failure to complete an application, because you did not know how. 

Sometimes, homelessness is the failure to attend an appeal, because, someone just did not understand what was happening. Sometimes homelessness is the failure to keep go records to show a worker lied.

I have helped many.  She has helped many.  Many have made it off the streets.  Not so with the con artist on the corner at times though.  Many   are there by choice. 

So, the gist of this post is this.  Been fighting with these Food Stamps people.  Been actually visiting food pantries as a result.  So, the end result is many may say, dude, he has a good car, cellular, what the heck is he doing here.  That is a lack of knowledge. I am thankful to Pleasant Grove of Wendell, Wendell Methodist, Knightdale Community Helpers, Urban Ministries, Catholic Charities, With Love for Jesus, etc.  

And then comes the, I will not give him a dollar, on the corner.  The ones that really need may be at the food pantry and the shelter.  The higher probability of a con-artist is the corner dude, or woman with kids as one described, “I almost went back”. 

They deliberated, they said, I offered food, and he turned me down.  Perhaps, the focus is the wrong population.  Perhaps, you need to help the veteran in the homeless shelter get his medicine and appeal going.  Perhaps, you need to help that disabled person not receiving a disability check because he was wrongfully denied.  Do not look for the mote in the other person's eye.    

Malachi, from the Bible. Chapter 3; 8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.



Perhaps, if every church has the “storehouse” had the mandate live.  You do not find this here in NC.  Churches with storehouse, homes for the homeless, center and programs for the drug addicts, mental health, counselors and elders.

I say this because instead of referring someone to social services or a shelter, etc, why not help the person.  Ask, can I just look your “paperwork over” and act as a “next friend”.  Help the person get what they need.  I speak from experience.  So, perhaps have those elderly answer prayer and counseling lines, from your church, not referring them out some where else.



If you can help someone, just do it, do not ask them to Go over there.  I have seen in NC where social services has gone a “muck”; where shelters penalize workers there for helping them.



If you measure help by refusing to give that corner con-artist a dollar and left it at that, then, perhaps you are in the wrong.



Sometimes I laugh and wonder when I attend different functions.  Like, supposing, you go on "missions" trips because, perhaps, it is a vacation on somebody else's dime, not just "helping others".  Because, if someone here asks you for help, and you cannot help, then, I do not know.  Hum. 



I sat in a gathering and people where explaining "why they do not help" but no one described actual helping like going to the shelter, install a handicapped button at a place, building a ramp to one step, turning on a TV or having a wheelchair life van, etc.  Hum.