Who sinned?

Why does this bother me so much?

Today while on the way to Best Buy with a fellow Christian, we passed a man with a sign at an intersection. There was a red light so we stopped a little ahead of him. His sign said:

"Everyone needs a little help sometimes."

"Everyone needs a little help sometimes..." my friend repeated, "And I have no money."

"Well I have a tray full of change? Maybe...?"

"No, that's pittance. He doesn't need our pity." my friend cut me off.

"Well, maybe we could bring him with us to lunch?" I replied.

"Yea we could do that..."

We both sat there, knowing what would be the right thing to do, and I am sure both contemplating the implications of what such an action would mean and the inconvenience caused. Those 10 seconds until the green light hit were filled with moral tension. Our silence said everything as we turned the corner.

On our way back, we saw him again, only this time with two police cars accompanying him. It seemed that he was begging illegally or that they didn't want him there to be seen. Whatever the case, he was being dislocated or arrested.

It's not often a person gets to see the consequences of their action, but when you do, keep it with you as a reminder. Everyone passed this man by, but why does the burden lay on me?


John 9:49: Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.