The man in the subway
A couple of days ago, I was in New York City for a series of meetings. I took the subway to the meeting place. On the subway a man of color, not well dressed, but not unclean went down through the car asking for donations to help him feed his family. He got to the end of the car where I was and he turned his back to me and addressed whoever would listen. He said, “It is my responsibility to feed my family. I have tried and tried, but I cannot do that right now. This is the only way I can think of. Can’t you spare just a little something to help me feed my wife and two daughters? It would be greatly appreciated. God Bless.” There was one man who fell for his final plea–me. But there is a deeper meaning here.
And there are a lot of scammers and beggars that are constantly accosting New Yorkers everyday. Nobody in the subway car looked up at this guy. Discernment is key. After praying, I handed him a small amount of cash, he looked me directly in the eyes and said “thank you so much.” I will never know the true story, but I do know something else. A fellow human being was pleading for help to about one hundred people and maybe three responded. No one else even looked at him or acted as if they heard him. And I feel that this is the condition of our nation right now. It is caused by the mere fact that so many people are so into their own worries that they refuse to engage with society in general. They refuse to be citizens.
There have been times in my life where I didn’t know if I was going to be able to feed my family. It was tough. Instead of jumping on a train or a subway, my wife and I prayed to the Lord. We stood fast on the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” In my opinion, this does not mean fancy cars, clothes, watches, jets, etc. It’s the basics. And the Lord always provided us.
The man in the subway was a life lesson for the condition of our nation. You see, the occupant of the Oval Office will be going on a 16-day vacation in August at the $12 million estate of a Democratic Party donor. It will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. With all the problems faced by the citizens of this nation, he has the unmitigated gall to live high off the taxpayers in great luxury. Most Americans consider themselves fortunate to get away for a long weekend. Fact is, he just doesn’t care. And you know what? This is just like the vast majority of people in the subway when a fellow citizen plead for his family. They didn’t care. And they were the ones who elected “Mr. Vacation while the nation burns.” Jesus also said, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” We need to be turning people back to the Lord.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
