Question Re Beggars
If the beggars were to leave the streets and withdraw to an area out of my sight, I would have less guilt; and they would have less money. Since paid work doesn’t seem like a fruitful activity in terms of money received, people in India (for whatever reasons), begging appears to be the only realistic alternative – acknowledge as necessary for survival by Hindus and Muslims in this country. Christians, including me, see donations better spent when funneled through a charity/organization which works directly with the poor and know who the “genuine” poor are. So the boy who sounded so genuinely needing the money may have been begging for himself (his clothes appeared clean and colorful) or for another; and the woman holding the may baby, may have been holding her own baby or another’s baby and simply using the baby as a prop, or she and her baby may really have needed the few rupees. I could have easily have given her some rupees in change (I don’t like or need the change – it makes my wallet heavy and awkward, is awkward to count out in a shop, and would just as soon get rid of it), but I didn’t give it to her. If I had, she may have thanked the gods, whoever her gods are, that I had transferred a few rupees from my hands to hers, or she may have laughed inside thinking she had successfully fooled a foreigner, or… But I, not wanting to waste a few rupees on her, for it might have led to greater waste, attracting more beggars on the street – seeing me as an easy target (don’t want to be a target – sounds like something to be aimed at, hit in the bull’s eye, or a store full of people looking for a bargain). I don’t want to be perceived as easy when it comes to money – might lead to financial slavery rather than financial freedom. Random jump here – maybe those sold into the sex trade have a better future at least moneywise – maybe, just maybe, a pleased customer slips five, ten, fifty, even a hundred rupees into the hands of a girl or boy who has provided extreme pleasure, and maybe, just maybe, the girl or boy finds a way to keep it for her/himself, and they become winners – a momentary rush of “I am worth something,” the gods do provide, even through the damndest people and the damndest situations.
And
“What does Jesus think about what I did or didn’t do: “Wise call, Hugh (which means “man of reason”), the young boy wouldn’t have the money for long – it would be wasted, poorly spent. And the woman with the baby, she’s strong, she also has a paid job, she’s doing this for extras to see if it will work, and if it does, how much receive and use it for her daughter’s education, which won’t be a good education because she can’t get enough to buy it, even if she sells herself to the highest bidder. Or will Jesus tell me about the widow who gave her last penny to the temple, lorded over by corrupt priests who would have used her penny to further rob the people while they gathered to worship God. When Jesus told the story he seemed impressed with the widow’s generosity and sacrifice; she did it to God’s glory which Jesus acknowledged and admired, but corrupt priests, officials, people got in the way during the transfer of funds from poor widow to perfect, powerful, all loving God. But God viewed what she had done as righteous, generous, a holy act and sacrifice, which may place her in the category of “well done, thou good and faithful servant”.
