A neighbour knocks on our door late one night. He tells us that he needs some kitchen foil to roast a chicken. What better a time of year to give cheerfully from the excesses of our kitchen cupboards?!
The stocky fellow grins at me on the doorstep through his gold-capped tooth. As a character whose community is by and large on the streets, and whose lifestyle is entwined with prison, squats and the drugs economy, I wonder if it is wisdom, or just a sign of my messed up state of heart and untrusting mind, that I doubt his motives.
Throwing caution to the wind, I head for the kitchen where my wife intercepts me to remind me of the double usefulness of tools like candles, metal spoons and foil to people who dabble in such circles. Or maybe there's just a naked chicken down the road, sitting in a tray.
I wonder what Jesus would have done?
[738:2943]
2 comments:
Well I expect that Jesus would have discerned the thoughts of their hearts and minds as he did the disciples etc? We could take a practical approach and carry the foil round to see for ourselves? You know a long time ago my old boss said to me “you know there is no such thing as being too cynical”, at the time I thought he was very untrusting and a little bit sad. But the wisdom of age only tells me that he was right all along. Indeed, Jesus teaches us the same thing. When sin entered the world through Adam anyone became capable of lies, self-centeredness and deceit including all and bar no one. I see nothing wrong in denying your visitor silver foil, a spoon and candles if indeed your assumption was correct. The only difference between us and Jesus is that He would have made the correct decision, whereas us, well we are only capable of making the right decision some of the time.
i couldn't bring myself to venture through the boarded-up doorway of an unlit squat, at night, to see if there's a chicken in the oven. partly because i'd like to see where i'm treading and partly because i'd prefer to live 'in denial' that this is how people live in the neighbourhood and that i feel a little reluctant to engage too heavily in their lives.
as for being 'too cynical'. i'm not sure about this. didn't paul write in one of his letters about 'love always trusts'? which in itself makes one open to both gullability and deceit - but not necessarily reasons not to trust in the first place?
last week, as part of my 'doing good naively' program, i picked up a couple of lemons from the local shop for a neighbour since he told me that he was barred from the shop. the following day a friend informed me that this particular individual would probably use them to supplement hard drug use. i really apologise to any believers who might be praying for these individuals to help them move into different life habits, i don't think i'm helping :(
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