“Boss you can’t give me a dolla aye or some change please. I just wah get me sumpthin to eat or drink.” Yeah right, I was thinking. “Are you sure you’re going to get something to eat?” I asked hesitantly. I hoped he would get food. “Yea, yea. Tanks.” I drove off thinking
why he doesn’t get a job, and why is he on the street. Doesn’t he have family
that can help him?
It seemed as if every corner I passed I saw someone begging, either sitting
in a wheelchair, standing on a corner on a crutch or just plain looking dirty
in need of a hand-out. Hey I give the people who in a wheelchair or even a
crutch a little excuse but the rest of them just plain lazy and need to find
something to do. Even if it is just
washing cars or selling peanuts, at least it will be honest and better than
begging.
I kept driving that day still thinking over again and again, I don’t know
what wrong with my country. As I passed
one of the National Insurance buildings I saw a long line of people and for a
brief moment I swore I saw the same beggar from earlier on that line just
wearing better clothing. Instead of his dirty rags, he had on some nice white
and red Nike Tennis, with a black and red striped Ralph Lauren shirt that matched
the tennis and black jeans. The thing I noticed the most was the silver chain on his neck and matching hand bangle. Yet with his nice attire he was still on the social services line looking for his monthly food coupon, because this was the day food coupons was given out. Now whether I was just hallucinating from the summer heat or it was really him, I just don’t know at this point.
As I drove past I felt a pang of guilty conscience in judging the persons on the street earlier. It is so funny how easy it is to forget when things in our lives get better than they were, where we came from. It was not the fact that the persons on
social services were asking for a hand-out same as the beggar on the street
that hit me because they were in need.
It was the fact that not too long ago it was me nicely dressed up and on
social services line in need of help. I wasn’t begging or not trying to get
work. I was not even unemployed a long
time or uneducated. Actually I had two degrees but still could not find work at
the time.
Yes we were constantly being told the economy is in a recession, yet it seemed as if everything was still going up price wise and a lot of businesses were prospering even though many were still closing down. Yet here I was an educated, and well-spoken young man, no bum on the street, at least I thought to myself, on the National Insurance line asking the lady at the counter, “ Hey miss my check aint ready aye, I just wan get something to eat or drink ya see.”
A Moment of Clarity
It is very easy during this season of sharing and love to forget those
that do not fall within our category of immediate family or friends. Yet even if we are not directly related we
are all family in this nation and connected. What affects even the smallest
member of our society affects us all.
The bum on the street could be one of our aunts or uncles, or even ourselves if we had taken one step wrongly to the left or right in life. Even more so if it was not for God’s Grace simply keeping us in our day to day lives. As we share this season please let’s take time to remember those who may not have the same benefits as we do or even the ability to enjoy the same due to circumstances. Let’s also not judge
so harshly and forget just like those in need who do not allow their pride to
keep them from asking for help so were we spiritual bums in our lives.
John 3:16 says for God so loved the world HE gave to us His only beloved
son, which is the reason we celebrate these festivities during this time and
season. For God saw the need in our
lives for spiritual provisions, He opened the spiritual Social Services door so
that all who are heavy burdened can come unto Him and receive rest and have
their needs met.
If not by direct donations of food, time to shelters or any place else that
gives to those in need, let’s remember to pray for one another this season not
knowing truly sometimes what our neighbour is going through and to be our
brother and sisters keeper.
We are all family, so I pray we remember to show love to one another even
as we celebrate with our own individual families and remember each day to be a Beacon of Light.
Beam of Light for
the Week
Love is all. From atoms that make up physical matter to the powers and
principalities that govern the seen and unseen, all were made with love. So
give love each day.
