The Wheat and the Tare

It is common to see panhandlers on street corners as easy access to services dry up. Some carry signs soliciting donations, and others are willing to work for food.  They cross boundaries of age and ethnicity.  A few have pets, which seem to irritate the passersby, who question, “If they can have a dog, why do they need my money?”  Seeing a panhandler also conjures up that article or documentary about swindlers who beg for money, or drug users who will use the money for nefarious activities.  They become, to many, a blot on the landscape, an offensive detail ruining their view of beautiful terrain.

How many of us decided not to give when it was God trying our hearts? Perhaps we ignored Angels on street corners.  We must recognize the trying of our hearts and look for opportunities to please God. 

What if it is a swindler?  “God is the judge who recompenses and rewards us.  He alone will judge the panhandler.    My responsibility today is to give freely.”  As for the wheat and the tares??  The bible implies that wheat and tare look so much alike that you could make a mistake if you try to separate them. Let’s trust the Lord to do the separation. 

Remember, God blesses the cheerful giver, so give.

 “He answered, ‘No because when you pull up the weeds, you might also pull up the wheat. ³⁰ Let the weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest time. At the harvest time, I will tell the workers this: First, gather the weeds and tie them together to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.” Matt. 13:29