People on the side of the road

[Perry]

What do you do whenever you see somebody hitchhiking or asking for food on the side of the road?

Today I was driving and I got stopped at a red light in a very busy intersection. at one corner of the intersection was group of four people. One was holding a sign that said "going home hungry..." (I didn't read the rest because the woman holding the sign turned away), two were playing a guitar and a violin, and one was petting this massive dog that I assume was theirs. They had numerous bags and were all dressed similarly, and I thought they were probably in a band or something. I wanted to stop and see if I could help them with anything, but I didn't because I'm just a shy person (and because it's rather unsafe to do so). I've given strangers rides before, but that was only because they came up to me at a gas station or an intersection and asked if I could give them a ride, and I felt rude to say no.

So do you ever give people rides, or buy them food or anything? Every time I see somebody on the side of the road doing this, I automatically feel guilty. I know that if I were in their shoes I would really like someone to pick me up or help me out. It's just I'm shy when it comes to confronting people I've never met, I guess.

[dthatcher]

If I am in my car there is little I can do. If I have dollar bills I'll give one to any panhandler who is reasonably close.
If you've got all day, you could pick them and take them for a meal yourself, maybe talk to them and give them some companionship.
Yes I know the stories about bums who scam you and make big bucks, but I think it is more important to keep a soft heart and let karma get the scammers.

[WifeofBill]

Not everyone standing on the side of the road asking for a handout is homeless and hungry. We have one guy here that lives with his brother, but has a mental illness. When he can he goes down to the corner looking for handouts. He doesn't need them. The cops arrest him, talk to his brother, etc., but he's still out there when he gets out of jail. I've called the cops before when I saw 3 men approach him and was worried they were out to hurt and rob him.

I've asked about donating food, but have been told that most will be paranoid that you did something to the food and won't eat it.

That all being said I will never approach anyone if I have my kids with me, and it's rare, like once in the lat 6 months, that I don't have at least one with me. If someone approaches me, I tell them to leave firmly. If that doesn't work I leave and call the cops.

[pastor's wife]

I would never give a random stranger a ride. I usually have my children - at least the youngest - with me, and it's not right to put them - or myself - in potential danger. I have given spare change to people on the corner before, and I've filled up someone's gas tank different times (well, nowadays we can't always fill it up but you at least get a couple gallons in the tank.) A lady in our church used input from the Salvation Army to create food bags with nonperishable food items that can be eaten simply on the street that she encouraged people to have in their car to hand out. And right now our church is helping a homeless family by housing them.

But I have to differentiate between the leading of the Holy Spirit and my own feelings of either 1) guilt or 2) a messiah-complex. I can't save everyone. I pray that God directs me, but I also ask Him to take from me the burden of guilt that makes me feel obligated to do EVERYTHING or feel miserable when I don't.

[exOBCstudent]

A couple months ago I was in this situation! This rough looking guy with a backpack was sitting at the intersection not far from the Air Force base we frequent. Since we had a red light I got out of the car, opened the trunk, and pulled out a sealed "Katrina" MRE and handed it to the guy.

He looked at me like I was nuts but took the MRE. On our way back from the base my wife and I saw the man on another corner and the MRE unopened laying in the grass where I had given it to him.

I guess if he REALLY was hungry he'd have realized what a gem that was! If I see that guy again perhaps I should hand him something much less appealing like a half-drank bottle of soda or something so he can learn to appreciate it when he gets good stuff.

MRE's arent cheap btw. (Maybe I should've stopped and taken it back! )

[Elijah Craig]

last person I gave a ride to was arrested two days later for stealing ATVs

[Tiarali]

I don't see people asking for handouts here. Maybe in the big cities, I don't know.

Seen plenty of hitchhikers. I'm a single woman, it's just not going to happen.

[pastor's wife]

The Bible tells us to be as harmless as doves but as wise as serpents. That metaphor always intrigued me, because serpents one would think as having almost exclusively evil connotations. But we're commanded in Scripture to be as wise as serpents. I think that wisdom applies to using our time and resources wisely. Yes, there are times when we can just give freely without restraint or consideration, just seeing a need and meeting it. But like so many things in Scripture, there seems to be a paradox that we are to be both generous yet discerning.

[myotch]

I hate to be out, so when I'm driving, it's usually because I've got someplace to be and I'm 5 minutes late. Or dinner's on the table.

Not very Christian of me to ignore the homeless or stranded, I know. But if your car is broke down, heck, this is Georgia! Some redneck will be along in five minutes to give you a free 32 point inspection and a brake job.

[lucrezaborgia]

We don't really have a lot of homeless people on the street here. Services for the homeless here are really good so they don't have to be out begging. Mostly what I see are people struggling with groceries. I've offered to give rides in that instance. People used to do it for me all the time when I was trying to lug a bunch of groceries home on the bus.

No way would I have done that back in Miami.