The other day I was catching up with a friend over some drinks out on the terrace of a coffee shop.  It was in a plaza smack-dab in the middle of a corporate hub.  Half-way through our conversation we were approached by a young boy and girl holding chocolate bars.  The sales pitch was coming and  I was anxious to hear what charity/need they were representing.  As I sat up in my chair a server from inside the shop rushed out and scurried them away with,

“Hun, you can’t be soliciting in this shopping center!”  I don’t think the children even knew what it means to solicit.

Experience helps me understand that con-artists, liars, and lazy people do exist.  But Jesus’ words also affirm that the poor we will always have with us!  And so began my contempt with this attitude of elitism we often express.

We’re the type that want to enjoy our strolls in the park, glances at architecture, and gazes at landscapes without having our consciences bothered by the reality of poverty.  We complain about their work ethic but when they drive/bus/walk/bike out into our neighborhoods and offer us a service we look the other way.  We know there are poor people out there but we don’t want them to come into our homes and bother us where we live.  Why have we become so calloused to the needs of others?

Here is the emptiness of our logic:

Premise: I should choose when I want/can help the poor.

This implies that the poor need to stay put and wait on wealthy people who have the moral conviction to give.  But we know the saying; evil triumphs when good people do nothing.  And this happens far too often for it to be a viable solution.

I was recently in a downtown area where I hung out with a street musician after grabbing some late-night Coney Island.  His rhythm, tapping foot, and big ol’ smile was something worth sharing in as be plucked away the blues that night.  He sang about the simple things– dancing, love, church– and I became richer as I sat with him on the sidewalk.

Bourgeoisism fails to see the connectedness we all share as people made in God’s image.  As important as intentional aide is, sporadic help is needed too.  The poor don’t cramp our style.  When they come to us, the least you can do is pull out those crumpled bills and coins floating around your change purse.  If everyone they asked would do that little, we would all be much better off.