When I was four years old, I couldn't wait until the lights were turned out and my mom and dad had said goodnight and prayed with me. As soon as my two-year old sibling had fallen asleep in the crib beside me, I would sit up in bed, shake my pillow until the pillowcase slipped off and then pretend to pack it with food for every starving child I'd seen on TV. I would then journey to the dark nation of Africa. I tried to figure out how to sneak leftovers from the supper table but I knew that wouldn't go over well with Mom, so I just stuffed pretend potatoes, meatloaf and chocolate cake into my case and swung it over my shoulder every night. I would hand it out freely, the bag never running out. I never thought to question them about whether or not they deserved this food, or how to sustain them day after day. I just loved the smiles on their faces. Once every child had taken enough for their family, I would shove my pillow back in the case and fall asleep in peace.
My four-year-old sense of justice became jaded as I began to listen to the "big people" talk around me. They would talk about the homeless man on the street and all agree that he didn't deserve a hand out because he wasn't working. I worked that philosophy into my children's story books and decided that the hungry bunny didn't deserve to eat the farmer's lettuce after all, and he should be chased away. I also worked it into the bible where it says to feed the poor and decided that instead of feeding the poor people, I should teach them theology, because after all, they would go to hell with a full belly just as easily with an empty one.
I began to see every homeless person as being lazy and untrustworthy, and focused on learning the truths of God's word instead so that I could impact lives from the inside out. However, that changed when I was challenged to read Jesus' words again. He commands us to care for the poor and he doesn't put any qualifiers on it. He doesn't say, "Give to the poor and demand that they buy groceries with it." He doesn't say, "Only give to those who are looking for work." He just says "Give to everyone who asks you for something" (Mt 5:42). I began to realize that giving to the poor, or taking care of the vulnerable, not only gives them hope and nutrition, but it also teaches me a lesson.
Working downtown in a city, I soon found countless opportunities to put my faith into action. Or rather, they found me. Stepping out of the hotel, I would immediately be asked for money. I finally learned to carry change in my pocket. While I had no clue where they would be spending this money, I learned to leave it in God's hands. Instead, I would chat with them as we walked down the sidewalk together. I know it's not always wise to give irrationally, but maybe giving to the poor is more about what we need to learn than about what they need to eat.
I learn to trust God when I give. I learn that He is kind and gracious to all of us. I learn that I don't deserve His blessings any more than a woman stopping me on the sidewalk and asking for money. Her hair is long and unkept and I don't know where she will go once she's out of my sight, but I can bless her and pray for her in Jesus' name. Although this is a very small action, it has opened my eyes in a big way to see that God respects and values every human being. I have learned to see past the downcast eyes or the demanding tone of some desperate people and instead to see the fingerprints of God on their lives.
While I may not be able to affect change at government level, I can do small child-like things from day to day. I can take a container of soup to a senior who is struggling with depression during the isolation of Covid. I can call my neighbour widow and ask if she needs groceries picked up for her. I can listen to a friend share about the effects of childhood abuse and how they are still struggling with self-worth. I can sponsor children monthly through various organizations and I can write letters to my MP to protect children from trafficking.
Maybe stuffing food into a pillowcase and sharing it with the hungry wasn't so far off after all. My heart still longs to help them, and maybe that's where God is found - in the hungry and homeless - who have so much to teach us about grace and no-strings-attached love of Jesus. While social justice issues have broadened from hunger and poverty to persecution, modern day slavery, and freedom of speech, it still comes down to individual people who need to be seen and acknowledged, and sometimes the best way to show that is by a handout, whether that hand holds a bag of food or material goods, or a handful of hope and dignity.
While God warns governments that He will call them to account for how they've treated the poor and vulnerable, He also expects individuals to be aware of their needs and to help in whatever way they can. Giving comes naturally to children when they are raised with compassion, and God's words are simple enough for a child to understand. "Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land . . .buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. . . The LORD has sworn by himself, . . . 'I will never forget anything they have done. Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn?' " (Amos 8:4,6a,7, 8a).
