I picked up a hitch-hiker this morning
Yes, I let a random, strange man into my GMC this morning. I was on the way to work, inching forward in traffic ever-so-slowly, when the old man planted himself in front of my truck. At first, I thought he was just trying to cross the street.
But then he made eye contact, and bee lined for my passenger-side window.
I rolled it down. He awkwardly tried finding his voice, and then struggled for the right words. I'm very used to panhandlers, and quickly did a mental assessment of what cash was in my wallet and whether or not I'd need it. The old man wasn't asking for money, though.
I told him, "Sorry, I didn't hear you." He repeated: "Can you drive me to the food stamp place? It's off of Eastern."
I sized him up. Or to put it more accurately: sized up his threat potential. His limping walk, wrinkled skin, crouched back, and slow movements suggested I could take him in a fight. I didn't sense he was packing heat or blades anywhere that he could easily reach. Looking around, I didn't see anyone lurking nearby...using the old man as bait to mug me or carjack me.
So I unlocked the door, and he climbed in. This was no small task for him. I felt so bad for him. I laughed at myself for wondering if he was a threat. Then I wondered if he was ME in a few decades. My rough guess placed him around 80 years old.
As we drove and made small talk, I couldn't help being upset that somebody in his age and condition had to rely on random rides from strangers, and food stamps. Maybe this guy didn't prepare for his retirement, and had it coming. Perhaps he gambled his retirement away on the Las Vegas Strip. Who knows? Does it matter? In my eyes, he could be somebody's grandfather. Somebody's husband. Someone's daddy.
If he was MY grandfather, and even if MY grandfather "had it coming," there's no way in a million years I'd call that fair, or say he deserved such a challenging existence at the end of his life.
That's why the very least I could do this morning was give him a 3 mile lift to the food stamp place.
"God bless you," he said as he got out of my truck. I told him the same.
Jesus' words came to mind about my chance encounter this morning: "When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me." As I pondered whether to keep this to myself, or share my experience, another quote floated through my mind: "When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing...Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
As you can see, I decided to risk my "reward" and tell you about the old man who rode shotgun this morning. If only to encourage you to show compassion, and feel compassion, for the millions just like him who we stare right through every day.
I'm not saying that you should put your life at risk and give every hitch-hiker you see a ride. Just asking you to do for anyone in need you'd want done for you, your grandpa, dad, etc.
It's only by God's grace that ALL of us aren't struggling like this old man, or much worse. Let that truth power your decisions each day.