Will Work For More Compassion

© David Hartman

Many years ago, fresh out of college and without a job, I spent a couple of afternoons standing on the corner of one of Oklahoma City's busiest intersections holding a sign that read: "Will work for state fair tickets." It was a publicity stunt for the State Fair of Oklahoma, one for which I was paid $40 for each afternoon, if I recall. Not bad coin for a half-day's work back then.

While no motorists stopped to offer me state fair tickets, a real job, or even some spare change, the fair got exactly the publicity it hoped for. Within a few hours, I was mentioned on local radio stations. By the end of the first afternoon, a photographer from the state's largest newspaper had snapped my picture.

It worked back then because at that time, street-corner beggars with their "will work for food" placards were few and far between. Today, you can't stop at a light at any busy intersection in Oklahoma City without encountering at least one person with a hand extended.

It's been interesting to watch the evolution of street-corner begging over the last several years. In the past, these folks usually would have some kind a prop like a crutch, or a bedroll to make you think they were sleeping wherever they could find a place. And the signs always told a story. A veteran down on his luck. A lost job and hungry kids. A disease with no insurance to pay for treatment.

Today's street-corner beggars don't even bother with the props. The signs no longer offer explanations -- or offers to work in exchange for money/food/gas, for that matter. Although I did see one a couple of weeks ago where the sign said something along the lines of "Need fuel for spaceship takeoff 12-21-2012" which I assume was in reference to the newest fad end-of-the-world date. But those are the exception, not the rule. Today's formula is simpler. Like "Need Help, God Bless You" or "Jesus Loves You."

They love to play the religion card. Mix a little Jesus in there and the Christians in the Bible Belt will feel guilty. More than that, they'll roll down their windows to offer greenbacks. At times, I've been known to resent the playing of the Jesus card. Something inside me predisposes me to not want to give you money if you're not at least willing to tell me why you need it. Too often, I keep that window rolled up tight.

And that's why the gospels are such a slap in the face sometimes -- a lens through which I neither want to see or be seen. I've read through the gospels many times. When Jesus teaches about giving, he doesn't teach about giving responsibly. He doesn't teach generosity after judgment. He never asks me to evaluate the situation first. You can look for it in the red letters, but you won't find it.

Christians like to cling to Paul's teaching in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, loosely translated "if a man won't work, he shouldn't eat" as justification for turning a blind eye when justification would come in handy. The problem, of course, is the context. Paul is specifically talking about how believers should treat other idle, wicked believers. To use the passage to justify believers holding those outside the faith to the same standard takes the teaching out of context.

And it forces me to wrestle with the question: Which is more likely to tick Jesus off? Giving what isn't mine, but God's anyway (my money) to a con artist who will blow it on a bottle of Mad Dog, or not giving to someone truly in need because I've been played before and might be played again? I know that answer. Too many passages about cups of water and pairs of jeans and visits and angels in disguise and grass in the fields and birds in the air and barns of treasures and moths, rust and thieves to get that answer wrong.

Guess I've still got some more growing and giving to do.