Human needs versus the need for humanity

I just walk by. You may too. They usually sit on the sidewalk with some sort of sign. Sometimes they just hold a cup. They are homeless, down on their luck, needy, beggars, con men, or whatever YOU might call them. I just walk by. And I rationalize my decision to walk by. They aren't really hungry, They probably make more begging than they would if they worked a real job for minimum wage. They will spend any money they get on drugs or alcohol. Sadly, all of this may be true. Sadly, even if all this is true, they won't go away and neither will my guilt as I just walk by.

I read a book titled, "The Mystic Christ." I am not here to promote the book. However, one thing I read touched me. What I goe was, when we see someone in need it is not up to us to decide how needy they are or whether they will use any money we give them "correctly" or whether any assistance is truly needed. Our responsibily is to respond with generosity. WOW, so when I saw a panhandler, my responsibility was to share some of the bounty I have been given with them. My gift was to be given without thought to how my gift would be used or any other thought excepting that there, before me, was another human being in need.

The next panhandler I ran into was the recepient of a single dollar from my wallet. i was probably much more uncomfortable giving it to him than he could ever be asking me for it. It was a transaction. I give and he received. As I walked away I felt uncomgortable and empty. I had given of my wallet, but my heart felt empty. I suppose I realized that this panhandler had more than physi8cal needs which we unmet. I had no idea how to meet those other needs but somehow I sensed they were there.

Upon my reflection, I realized that a panhandler is more than just monetarily removed from society. They are isolated by a much wider chasim. That chasim was evident as person after person walked by. People ignored, made fun of, insulted, and humiliated them. Hardly a human response to an individual in need. These people, these fellow humans are in need of more than just physical comfort. They need human comfort as well. That human comfort comes in somehow satisfying thier need for humanity. The physical and emotional connect we all take for granted was obviously absent. And I guess that realizing that is somehow my challenge expressed by a friend of mine many years ago. He said, "John, when you see a need and try to fulfill it, you have only taken the first step along the journey of finding the profundity of need and what you can do to fulfil it."