Faith

I wrote this some time ago, figured it was a good day to share it.

I have been chastised over the way I treat people. People look at my actions and shake their heads criticizing my choices without knowing why I would act the way I do. They just don’t understand. It is not that I treat people badly, quite the contrary, I am overly generous. Now don’t misunderstand this, I am not trying to brag or make myself into something I am not, I am simply trying to show why I do the things that strike me as being right.

Not long ago I was sitting in my SUV waiting for someone when a person approached my passenger door. It was summer and so the window was down, this man said hello and then proceeded to tell me his story. He and his family had come to town for a job, but it had fallen through. Now he needed money in order to get back home since he was out of gas and had no way of getting any. I gave him ten dollars and he thanked me and went on his way. As I tell my friends and family about what happened ninety five percent of them shake their heads at me. “You were had.” “He suckered you.” “Throwing your money away.” Many versions of these statements were given to me from many different sources.

Perhaps they were right. The man might have walked off knowing he now had money for liquor, drugs, or whatever else he chose to spend it on. He may not have had a wife, kids, job, or car. He may have suckered me. But I don’t care. That’s right… I do not care.

I would rather give ten dollars to someone who may be using me than to give nothing to someone who might need it. I am not naïve. I know there is a chance, or even a likelihood that the money went for something other than what was told to me, but I choose to have faith in people. I choose to think that someone might be in trouble and need help because I know that if I were in a situation where I needed something I would want someone to be willing to help me. It does not work like that always, I know, but I have faith. I have seen people give all of themselves for others and I have seen people take all for themselves from others. I choose to be one of the former.

What about you? Is it that hard to be generous? Or kind? Or good?

Some things should be done for others without asking for a return.