To the Least of These

Truth .. I wanted to ignore him. 

Really, I did and more often than not, I do. 

I'm sure some of you will think I'm being callous, mean, selfish, self-absorbed, cruel, etc. Maybe I am and honestly probably a little cynical from my former days in law enforcement.  But something about this man caught my eye and despite my best efforts to ignore him, I just couldn't.

Let me set the stage.  My darling son was driving us home (reluctantly I might add) from a doctors appointment and darling daughter was thirsty and needed a drink.  Naturally, a stop at QT will cure her dying of thirst, so my young driver maneuvers to the farthest parking spot he can find from the door lest he have to use his driving skills to park next to someone.  In this effort to have a "cushion of protection" he parks right in front of a homeless man.  I hand the kiddos $10 to get their drinks and avert my eyes before said homeless man makes eye contact.  Eye contact is always bad ... always. 

I successfully avoid really "seeing" him but I notice that he is drinking a soda, has several bags with him, and he is filthy.  He looks weathered from days in the sun, I assume from being on the street but perhaps from years of working out in the elements.  Several people walk by.  Everyone averts their eyes.  He doesn't say a thing.  He has no sign.  He makes no plea.  When the 5th person walks by without acknowledging him, he simply asks if the man has any spare change.  The man ignores him.

About this time my kiddos walk out drinks in hand and a fistful of change.  The man says nothing.  My son hands me my change and I hand him a couple of dollars for the man. 

"God bless you" says the man with a smile.

I don't know what the man intends to do with the money.  The cynical part of me says he saving up for his drug of choice.  The compassionate part of me hopes that isn't the case.

I don't tell this story for a pat on the back or anything like that.  I would like to think that just for a minute I was given the opportunity to make the world a better place for this man or at least brought a smile to his face.