Here’s what happened to me last weekend. The doorbell rang and there was a man I didn’t know standing on the porch. He explained that he was the son of a lady up in the next block. “You know, the one with the little dogs.”
“I don’t really know anyone in the next block,” I said. And he told me his story.
He was visiting his mother (up in the next block), and she’d left the house on some errand, and he needed to go get his daughter in Waxahachie (a real town in Texas, up near Dallas-you can look it up).
“I lost track of the time,” he went on. “When I realized I was running late, I picked up my keys and rushed out the door and pulled it shut. It locked behind me before I realized that I hadn’t picked up my wallet or my phone. So I don’t have any cash or credit cards or ID, and I can’t call anybody. I need gas for the trip. Can you help me out? I need about $25.00.”
Hmmmmmm.
I understand that, because I am an honest person, I’m inclined to think that other folks are honest, too. And sometimes I’m right, and sometimes I’m wrong. Really wrong.
So now, what to do? What to do?
I’m sure I looked skeptical.
He pointed to the car parked across the street.
“That’s my car. I can give you my license number. I sure hope you can help.” (Insert sad-looking but hopeful face here.)
Of course, later, I thought of all the questions I should have asked.
Do you live here in Waco? I can call a friend for you.
Has your mother lived here a long time? Did you grow up in that house?
What’s your mother’s house number?
How many miles is it from here to Waxahachie?
Can you spell Waxahachie?
I’m am also aware that it is exactly the sort of thing that I might do.
So I gave him $25.00.
“I’ll bring you the money, when I get back into town,” he said, oh so earnestly.
I waited a few seconds. then I said, “You know, why don’t you just pay it forward.”
“Oh, no!” he said. “I’ll bring it back. I’ll put it in an envelope and put it in your mailbox.’
“No,” I said again. “You just go ahead and pay if forward.”
So I’ll never know, will I, if he’s an honest man or not. I’m willing to choose to think the best.
Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matthew 5:42
I will admit to checking the curb the next morning, to see if there was some sort of graffiti that might signify “gullible lady lives here.” The curb was clean.