Homeless?

Alright everyone - I want to get your opinions. Today I was approached (while in my car, in a parking lot) by a homeless man who wanted to "clean my rims in exchange for food". Long story short, I felt really scared/uncomfortable at first, and he could tell. I told him I didn't have any food or money on me, and he apologized and told me he didn't mean to scare me. He wished me a good day and walked away.

As he walked away, it got me thinking. Each time I see someone begging for help on the streets, I wonder what their story is. Sure, sometimes they probably are just wanting money for drugs, but what if they really do have starving kids? What if they are trying to do all they can to take care of a family, but because of people who are judgmental and only adhere to stereotypes, they can never receive the help they need? Now, I'm not saying we should be vulnerable and willing to help everyone we meet. Obviously we need to be careful (cuz strangers could be dangerous) but at the same time, I think we need to be less judgmental. I can't help but think of Christ. If Christ were here, he wouldn't ask a homeless man for proof that he was going to use his money/food for his family rather than drugs. I truly believe Christ will help in whatever way he could, even if it was just to give him hope.

I saw an idea on Pinterest (go ahead...roll your eyes), and I think it's a great idea. Someone put together baggies of snacks, toothbrushes, spare change, etc. to leave in the backseat of their car. That way, if they ever see a homeless person/beggar, they can hand them one of those. It's an easy way to give service to those in need. To add to that, I think it would be neat to put a Book of Mormon in each of these bags, or at least some quotes that would give hope/encouragement. Maybe a list of resources? (Food and Care Coalition, missionaries, etc?) Just some thoughts running through my head....

I guess my main point is that the majority of us are extremely blessed. We don't know what it would be like to not have shelter, or to not know when our next meal will be. We can't "save the world" or prevent homelessness, but there's definitely more we can do. We need to be smart and careful about it...but we also should always strive to be more Christ-like and serve our brothers and sisters in need! It's not our place to judge, it's our place to love.