I was dropping my friend off at the train station (read more about that on Monday), and as we were chatting a bit, a couple lugging a grocery cart came up to us and asked us for directions to the Red Cross.
The couple had been through some rough experiences recently, and they were very open in telling us about them. Despite this, they didn't ask us for money, they didn't ask us for help beyond merely asking for those directions; I'm pretty sure they knew we were college students, anyway, so they were actually surprisingly considerate in not asking us for anything more. Regardless, as we were standing there, I thought to myself, What am I doing?
So, I offered to give them a ride to the Red Cross.
Then, as we were loading my car with their stuff, I stopped. What am I doing?
I'd just invited two random, desperate strangers into my car. The two of them with the one of me. The second I made the connection, I severely regretted my decision, but I wasn't going back on my offer. So, I made a new decision.
I'm either going to die, or I'm going to become a chauffeur at weapon-point for the next couple of weeks.
 |
| The local Red Cross. |
Well. seeing as how I haven't missed a post, and I haven't been on the news, you can probably guess how this turned out. The couple continued to be kind and friendly all the way until we reached the Red Cross. As I shook their hands one last time and wished them luck, they wished for God to bless me. I only wished I could do more.
Still, though, the experience irked me. I was frustrated that I couldn't do something nice without ascribing potential malice to the recipients.
The world warns us of potential danger on all sides. We're taught, through the news, that there are people seeking to harm us on all sides, and oftentimes, those very people need the most help from us. Perhaps if they received more help, then they wouldn't be seeking to harm others.
How do you resolve this conflict of interest in your daily act of charity? Be sure to comment below!
No comments:
Post a Comment