Thursday, March 31, 2011

Beggars Are Generous

One day I was talking to my PBT coach about how much money I don't have. I then walked into the the office of a friend and missionary. "I need money!" I wailed. She went to grab her bag and fish out her wallet. "for what?" she asked as she dug. "To go to PNG." "oh," was her reply as she paused in her search. "I only have $5 but you can have it if you want."
This woman, recently married, trying to raise her own support, leapt for her $5 to give me, not knowing why I needed it but just knowing that I did.

A man in Vegas, down on his luck, posting regularly on FB about his financial struggles, a man with little, heard that I was going to be in Vegas without a car and was worried about getting around. He offered his while he was at work. A man with almost nothing, leapt at the chance to share what he did have.

I think that people who have to ask other people for money (not that either of these friends should be defined as beggars any more than I should be) and know what it's like to be dependent on their generosity are more generous than most. I feel like there's something wrong with that. That people who have plenty should be the ones who whip out their resources at the slightest mention of need. But I guess, as the saying goes (I'm not aware of a verse though) "God uses the poor to shame the rich."

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