Corner Quandary – How Should We Respond?

My 16-year-old daughter, Hannah, and her friend stopped to talk to a woman standing on a corner holding a “Homeless, Please Help!” sign. When my daughter told me about it later, I had all those “Dad” thoughts about why that was a bad idea…you know, the whole don’t talk to strangers thing. But I have come to realize that she will most likely talk to strangers her whole life. I can give her advice and ask God to watch over her but she is going to talk to people. It’s who she is.

Hannah is a pray-er. Bad hair day? Pray. Too many cars in her merge lane? Pray. Someone looks like they’re having a rough day? “Hi, I’m Hannah, may I pray for you?”

She also has what I would call a gift of mercy. If you want to touch her heart, tell Hannah about someone who is hurting. So when they encountered that woman on the corner there was no chance they would just pass on by.

Hannah and her friend pulled over, approached the woman and asked if they could pray for her. Her response was enthusiastic. Yes! They prayed an equally enthusiastic prayer for her, handed her $5 and watched her walk away yelling “Hallelujah!” and waving her hands.

Hannah was sure the hallelujah was because of the prayer. I was silently convinced it was because of the $5.

We are often asked at the Kansas City Rescue Mission about those people on the corners with the signs. And our response is almost always the same: Don’t give them money!

You see, we know the statistics that the vast majority of those hapless faces peering at you at intersections aren’t quite as desperate as they’d have you believe. Some make a pretty good living at those corners…one study found Kansas City panhandlers can make as much as $300 each day…and they even compete for the best intersections.

The reality is there is no reason for anyone to go hungry in our city. No one HAS to stand on a corner begging for money to eat because there are many resources for free meals and even free groceries throughout the city. Often the man or woman you pass at the side of the road is standing only a few steps away from a free meal.

KCRM’s strategy for responding to the panhandler you meet on the street or outside your car window can be found here: http://www.kcrm.org/newkcrm/Help. You can download a Free Shelter Ticket that you can give in lieu of money to someone who approaches you.

So, yes, that would be my advice. Don’t give money to a person on the street claiming to be homeless. Don’t put yourself at risk. Support ministries like KCRM that are equipped to help the homeless person’s needs, both critical and ongoing.

But, that being said, I don’t want to douse Hannah’s flame, either. I love the courage she has to pray for anyone at any time. I’m proud of her! And I have to trust that God has some heavenly bubble wrap around my baby to keep her protected out there in a dangerous world.

So to all the Hannahs out there, let me say this: Be careful! But if God says pray for someone, give to someone, reach out to someone…then by all means, do it!