I have a long way to go.

For the sake of honesty, this is how selfish and lazy I (Adam) can be....

I always carry a bunch of 1 birr notes in my pocket to hand out to those in need and those begging any time I go out. I always make sure to have some, as I want to give them freely to those in need, and I often find someone that is begging. (Though, there really aren't a ton in the are that we are living) For comparison, it is 17 birr to $1. Which makes a birr about 5 or 6 cents. 1 Birr is enough to be able to purchase a good sized roll or a small banana. I rarely hand out more than a few birr in a day, yet it is considerably more than the average amount that the beggars receive. I give it to them in the name of Jesus and keep on my way. I am not really breaking the bank here, and I know that. However, it is not meant to be a sustainable way of living for those in need, it really is to just help them with their next meal.

Today, I was walking home, after buying some bread at the bakery and I saw a man sitting on the ground, on the other side of the road. He had his jacket lying on the dirt, and a couple of coins sitting on the jacket. He was obviously begging, though he did not specifically ask me for anything. So I figured, well, he is on the other side of the road and he really didn't see me or ask me for anything so I don't need to go and give him anything. So I didn't. I still can't believe I would be so selfish with 5 cents! It is God's money in the first place, not mine! I continued on my way totally ignoring him. He was across the street, but I was basically walking in the middle of the street and the street is smaller than a normal sized residential street. Really, it is basically an alley. He was about 10' from me!

I kept walking. My hand in my pocket feeling the 1 birr coins jingling around as I walked.

My inner voice was nagging at me as I kept coming up with lame excuses why I shouldn't and couldn't go back to him now that I am so far past him.

After about two blocks, the nagging inside of my head finally won and I turned around. I made my way back to him, dropped a coin on his dirty jacket and blessed him. As I type this, the story of the good samaritan keeps coming to mind. Which one was I? Not the one I should be.

I have a long way to go. Jesus lead me.