Often, as I drive on the ramp to the freeway, I see someone holding a sign asking for money.  Sometimes I see a homeless person lying in a doorway as I walk through town.  Once in a while someone will stop me at the shopping center and ask for bus money.  It is difficult to know the correct way to respond to these requests. 

One person I know was asked for money by a woman at a shopping center.  He decided to give her what she asked for, smiled at her and walked away.  But as he was going his way he suddenly realized that he had missed an opportunity.  He quickly turned and went back.  He told the woman that he wanted her to know why he had given her the money, and then told her of Jesus’ love, and what it meant in his life.  What an opportunity to plant the good seed of the Gospel! 

The book of Proverbs has quite a lot to say about how we should treat the poor.  In chapter 19 we read, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” And in chapter 14 it says, “…whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

However we respond to a request for help, we need to bathe it with kindness and compassion.  Then God will be honored and we will have the opportunity to share the greatest gift of all time – the Good News of Jesus.This is Luis Palau.