Friend sent e-mail about redistribution of wealth

R

rbanks Oct 31, 2008

(A friend sent me this e-mail.)

Very funny, but true about redistribution of wealth

In a local restaurant my server had on a "Obama 08" tie. I laughed as he had given away his political preference--just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

C

Compton Oct 31, 2008

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10

The problem with this scenario is that the story teller was in control of where his money went. Now if the story teller left the restaurant, drove down to the county jail and found some fellow who hasn't worked for an honest dollar his entire life and gave him the money to dispense with as he saw fit...then this would be a more accurate experiment. ;-)

(Edit: my wife saw my attempt at humor above and thought I should clarify to everyone I was talking 'bout congress; not either of the presidential candidates. )

MC

sermonindex Nov 1, 2008

This is an interesting subject. It causes such an uproar. You can mess with a lot of things, but mess with peoples money and , oh boy, watch out. My very right wing friend(yes I do have them:) asked me one time about giving money to "bums." He said "but Frank, they dont work, they dont deserve it." He was saying this in response to the fact that I had said that if I get the opportunity, I always give them something. My response to my friend was to ask him if he deserved salvation?(all with a smile of course)The fact is, I never know the circumstances of whoever I come across. Could they be an angel unawares ? :) Maybe, you never know.

My mother came to visit from Scotland one time. We all went to visit this busy little college town, Lawrence(Home of KU) one Saturday. The girls went off shopping and my yougest son Daniel and I sat down on a bench. Daniel was about 7 years old at the time, Daniel has Down Syndrome. It was a beautiful day and Daniel and I were people watching. I prayed silently to God that He would send someone to me that I could reach out to. We sat there for about another 20 minutes when this young "street person," sat down at the end of the bench. He was filthy and his fingernails were particulalry dirty. He had a dog with him, a pitt bull. I must confess, I do not like those dogs. I sat there and looked straight ahead. I thought that this might be the person that I had prayed for, but probably not because the Lord knows i do not like pit bulls so I would not even want to get close to him. Of course, Daniel spots the dog and has no pre-conceived notions about this breed. Anyway he starts to talk to the dog and I ask the young man what the dogs name was. We got talking, his name was "David." He was 20. As we talked David started to tell me about his life(people seem to do that with me:) This kid had ran away from an abusive home at 13 and had been on the go ever since. He hopped trains all over the country. My heart broke for David. I explained to David about my prayer. I explained to David about the Love of God the Father. David's eyes watered. We talked for a good while. When I left, all I had was $25 in my pocket which I gave him. There are so many "David's" out there. If we treat everyone with love and kindness we will surely get ripped of sometimes. But isnt it better to get ripped of and have a soft heart than to always be right and be hard -hearted? I think so. We should always guard our hearts, especially when it comes to money. So the government might want to change the taxes around, I say, so what :) Now dont get all crazy on me. All I know is that I think the Lord is coming soon and people are dying and going to hell, rich and poor alike. We have greater things on our minds , like the eternal truths of our Heavenly Father. Like the glories and the Love of Calvary. A salvation initiated by grace-unmerited favor......love you guys...Frank

R

rbanks Nov 1, 2008

Hey brothers,

I appreciate the posts. I feel the same way about giving help to someone in need. I realize also that many times they are not doing right with their money or life.

I realize that in the book of Acts we have a beggar sitting at the temple because he was not able to work. We also have Paul making the statement to busybodies not working "if any don't work they don't eat".

I wonder sometimes, where do you draw the line. There were busybodies back then who didn't work, and if Paul really did have some who didn't eat unless they were working.

I have notice some people always wanting a handout but they don't manage their money wisely and some are to lazy to work or keep a job.

I was wondering here how you see it. Isn't it right to follow up on people in your area that you have helped, for some accountability on their part. I mean shouldn't we be giving a hand up instead of a handout. I mean if we give to help someone, shouldn't we expect them to be thankful, and become more responsible with their life.

sermonindex Nov 1, 2008

Hi Brother

Now, I do think we should be wise with our money. First and foremost though I think we should have good hearts. Thats the great thing about the Lord, He knows the heart. So, we can say the right things for the wrong reasons. The Lord knows if we are just being "tight," with our money and saying the right things in order to justify not giving anything. I know this is rich coming from a Scotsman, who are widely known for being "tight," with their money :) In all seriousness though, I belive its not so much about what we do as to why we do it. The Lord, I believe, is interested in the motivations of our hearts. If you genuinely believe that someone is simply taking advantage, and your heart is right before God , then you should not aid and help people like that because you are really not helping them at all. Yet, I cannot stress the heart issue too much. Better to be ripped of and have a good malable heart, than to be never ripped of and be cynical. Now I know that there are not only these two positions, somewhere in the middle is where we should be. Point being, if you are going to err, err on the side of love........brother Frank

C

crsschk Nov 1, 2008

Interesting, didn't catch this and in light of ~~[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=25789&forum=34&post_id=&refresh=Go]~~America Asks For A King[/url] thought I might add some things.

Have never been much for trying to figure out people or place notions that are largely suppositions ... A whole range of verse and context comes to mind in this regard but maybe more than any;

~~[i]~~Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.[/i] Luk 6:30

Being that they are put together like that is challenging if we are going to try and put a litmus test to any given situation. My impression is that it is one of forgetfulness as to motivation or 'worthiness'.

That may seem contradictory to the earlier referenced link above, that echoes others here about work, Paul's admonishments and so forth. I don't see a distinction though being difficult to be made. The tense of Paul's comments are one of refusal or capable and able but unwilling it seems. Certainly that could be said of some who have allowed themselves to go south for any variety of reasons. This paradox is more difficult than I thought ...

Is it one of making a determination in the case of the homeless, the poor .. the downtrodden? It seems not from what the Lord stated. I have been greatly convicted in the past by doing just this, making a determination and even lying when asked if I had a dollar to spare .. smiting myself as a hypocrite and a liar have gone chasing after a man after grabbing a 20 and tracking him down, apologizing and asking for forgiveness ... The interesting point of the Lords words there is in the continuation, that even that which is ~~[i]~~taken[/i] is not to be asked back for again, to let it go. So it seems it is altogether 'without thought' and maybe the pleasure if it could be so called is in just doing it as unto the Lord and without fanfare (Mat 5:40, 6:3-6:5), even to our sense of accomplishment.

As a system of welfare that can be manipulated and abused however ...

J

JoanM Nov 1, 2008

~~[u]~~Appolis wrote[/u]: ~~[i]~~If you genuinely believe that someone is simply taking advantage, and your heart is right before God , then you should not aid and help people like that because you are really not helping them at all. Yet,...[/i]

Here is a case of the yet ....

I live close to the church I attend. From time to time my past pastor would call me to come and speak with mentally ill people that came into the church. On this occasion a woman came with a disjointed impossible story regarding cancer and needing gas money to get back over the mountains. Her husband was out in the car. They both showed physical signs of past/chronic crack abuse. The pastor thought they were going church to church. Many pastors have a gift of mercy and a history of being “burned” by people taking advantage of them. He said I could do whatever I wanted to.

I was praying throughout a long ordinary conversation. She was not delusional but a master liar and the more she lied the more it broke my heart. I shared with her, and later her husband, that I knew they were attempting to deceive others and me but it was unnecessarily, that the truth was always better. I took them to the gas station. As her husband filled the gas tank, I spoke to him heart-to-heart in prayer. He was so defeated. He shared something of his experience with Christianity a long time ago. His heart grew rapidly soft for an ex-marine. The opening to the gospel was when he spoke of what he would do in giving to others if he won the lottery. His hope was the lottery and it gave him the tiniest lift. The truth of that, that his only hope was the lottery, was devastating to me. I could not help but say, with all my heart, I hoped he did win the lottery because the days he was living now were his only time in all of eternity to have any semblance of peace and joy unless he could get to Jesus some how. (He actually told me the gospel very simply). We were standing at the 76 gas station, tank long past full. With tears in his eyes he said, “I want to. I need to….” I mumbled something like, just ask. I wish I had heard his short halting words. It is enough that God did. He said some kind things to me as he got into the car and drove off. His wife stayed in the car and I heard her say, “What happened?” as they drove off. Back at the church, I told my pastor why the church gave them everything they asked for.

That’s not what I would call a typical sharing the gospel, but I did witness something at the gas station and back at the church.

[edit: as usual there is the related post as I slowly add my thoughts. Crsschk, I think you can find it easy to tell the truth that is alive in your heart. You do here. You do when you pray.]

sermonindex Nov 1, 2008

Good testimony sister Joan. Better to err on the side of love, then again, discernment can play a part, yet, as always , we should be guided by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Here is another "yet," story. When I was about six, my mother found herself without money(my father was an alcoholic) and the electricity was going to be cut of. At the end of our apartment block, lived a lady called "Mrs Mapes." She was well known in the town of Greenock, she was in the Salvation army and always had on her uniform. She was truly a saint of God and people just "knew,' that. My mom went and knocked on her door and asked if she could borrow some money. My mother had never done this and it was truly humiliating for her. Mrs Mapes asked her to wait a minute and closed the door. My mom could hear an argument begin with Mrs Mapes and her husband. Mrs Mapes was crying and begging her husband to give my mom the money and Mr Mapes was asking how many times they had done that before and never been paid back by people. Mrs Mapes cried back that she thought this woman was different. It went quiet and the door opened and Mrs Mapes gave my mom the money. My mom paid every penny back and with the final payment , a box of chocolates. Now, here is the thing. My mom got saved a couple of years later, and where did she get saved? In Mrs Mapes Salvation Army hall. My mom went on to become a mighty woman of God, you can read a little of her in my testimony http://scottishwarriors.wordpress.com/my-testimony-lengthythe-valley-of-achor/.

Here is a question for us. Have we ever begged for a stranger? Mrs Mapes did. She "knew," this case was different. I have sympathies with her husband and his predicament, yet Mrs Mapes had the heart of Jesus for a stranger at her door in need. God bless all the Mrs Mapes's around the world..........brother Frank

C

crsschk Nov 1, 2008

Frank, Joan ...

What great ... testimonies! Was tempted to say 'stories' but ...

In Joan's case this is 'both' it seems, that a practical evidence was evident and needed not to be guessed at and ~~[i]~~yet[/i] (I love that) despite it all ... what can be said? What a perfect example. The woman at the well comes to mind ...

And Frank, yeah, again another, different portrayal. It is very humbling to be in that position, have mentioned it before but there are some brothers who will go unnamed that have come to my rescue in difficult times from this very forum. I will never ever forget their kindness and frankly it was their reading between the lines more than a direct 'asking' so they went beyond even by covering my humility.

Great stuff you guys.

J

JoanM Nov 1, 2008

It is not possible to read this thread without many scriptures flooding in. “...The poor will always be with you .... such as I have, I give you, ....” I love Mrs. Mapes and I just love her husband. ~~[u]~~~~[b]~~It went quiet and the door opened[/u][/b]. I am thinking now that it is very much ~~[u]~~~~[b]~~begging for a stranger[/u][/b].

Much or little, don’t we all have the heart to give ~~[u]~~~~[b]~~such as we have[/u][/b] of Christ? ~~[u]~~~~[b]~~To beg for a stranger[/u][/b]? Oh Father, let it go quiet and the door open.... Somehow it is possible today to be in Greenock and in my little place so far away.

Some things should only be whispered. You said one brother: "it went quiet .... and the door opened."

sermonindex Nov 1, 2008

Brother Mike writes.......

"and frankly it was their reading between the lines more than a direct 'asking' so they went beyond even by covering my humility."

Thank the Lord for caring brothers and sisters. It is an honor and priveledge to be part of the Body. Ah, never a truer word was written than when the the Holy Spirit, writing through Paul tells us that

1Co 13:2 And though I have prophecies, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and do not have love, I am nothing.

If the Church has problems today, then it begins and ends with Love. Where do we find the finest example of Love?............Calvary.............brother Frank

sermonindex Nov 1, 2008

Amen sister Joan...."It went quiet and the door opened." Yes, in all the noise and the hustle of life, when we come to that quiet place before the Lord and we settle things in our minds, humble ourselves before the throne of Grace, then He certainly opens up the doors of heaven and He meets all of our needs...........brother Frank