Thought of the Day 05.13.08

If you’re like me, you’ve often struggled over whether to give money to a beggar. If I could be sure he would use it well and for real needs, I’d gladly give what I can. But I worry that he’ll squander it or use it for unhealthy desires, and I don’t want to enable him to hurt himself. But, if I’m honest about it, there’s another issue here.

It’s the sense that the money belongs to me and, “If anyone’s going to squander it, well, darn it, it’s going to be me, not some bum on the street.” But just imagine if God used that same sort of standard with me, only giving me gifts and graces He knew I’d use well and not giving me anything I might misuse. “But that money is mine!” I say. Well, aren’t my job and the ability to do it gifts from God? And don’t I pretty regularly beg God to give me more of everything?

I’m not saying that we ought to give to everyone without thinking. But it’s important to recognize how tempting it can be to persuade ourselves that principle and selfishness are conveniently telling us the same thing.