“The poor man does not lay up his own treasures, the more he gives to others the more he has for his own” – Lao Tzu

Wow what a concept, the POOR man does not lay up his own treasure… let’s just ponder that for a moment, let us think about the poor man who instead of hoarding what little he has, he gives all that he can, which then really makes him rich…what if we turned that entire quote on its head…

“The rich man lays up his own treasure, the more he keeps from others, the less he has for his own”
The Social Experiment…(resource, why FaceBook of course )

As I was scrolling through my newsfeed a video caught my eye, so I clicked on the video and proceeded to watch a social experiment conducted by a young man in the streets of New York. He pretended to be destitute in front of a pizza parlor on a cold day and was asking people that were either leaving with a pizza or entering the parlor for some food, that’s right, food, not money. Not one person who looked like they could afford to buy him food did or offered money so he could buy food. Over the time of the video, there was only one person, one that offered him food and it was a gentleman who seemed like he was in no better condition than the young man himself. It brought tears to my eyes as I watched this man who barely had food for himself offer up food to the young man. I was both touched and embarrassed. Embarrassed for myself because, if truth be told I would have been one of those people ignoring the young man even though I might want to, my fear of what if he’s a drug addict or lazy or whatever negative thoughts crossed my mind. When the homeless man was asked why he shared what little he had, he said that he knew what it felt like to be hungry and go without food, so if he could help someone not feel that way, he was doing the right thing. Ugh tug further on my heart why don’t you? Dig in more at what a terrible human being I am!

After I watched that I decided, that if I could, if someone asked me for money or food and I had it, I would indeed share or buy or give! But let’s get down to the reason, 100 people ignored the young man and only one did not!

What has happened to us that we have become an Ebenezer Scrooge society, so busy counting our pennies that we do not see the gift that we give ourselves by giving to others, especially those in need? Instead asking if there are enough work houses or jails for “those” people, we need to help them, they are human beings just as we are, the only difference is their circumstance and yet we stand in judgement because we have more and they have less? I’m ashamed of myself and the majority of society. My mother was telling me that the Young Street Mission office is moving locations, they are an organization that assists “those living with economic, social and spiritual poverty in Toronto” (www.ysm.ca) and the area to which they want to move does not want them there because of the type of people that will be accessing their services. Let me ask you what makes us better than them, because we have things they do not? Well, there was a time, when my parents first came here as new immigrants that many people around them helped, my mom tells me of stories of how her boss would give me her daughter’s old toys and clothes so I could have things my parents couldn’t otherwise afford. In fact I still remember the Bretty Crocker Easy Bake Oven that I had, and the cakes that I used to bake in it, by the way how the heck do you burn a cake that is cooked under a light bulb? Any way I digress…Let’s face it, we do think we are better than them and we do not want to rub our shoulders with those kinds of people. If we don’t help them, how are they going to move out of being “those” kind of people? Don’t tell me that there has never been a time that you have needed help, maybe not this particular type that, but we have all needed help at some time or another.

In the Bible in Matthew 7:1 its says: “Do no judge so that you will not be judged, for in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you”. We have become a bunch of Judge Judys because we can hide behind social media and spew out our condemnations to those less fortunate than us. Remember it truly is better to give than to receive, even if we are going to be taken advantage of, we’ve done our part, we given with an open heart and that’s what matters most. So the next time the man on the corner asks for money or food, if you can, help him because really you are helping yourself!

It’s my honour to serve you! God Bless!

I’d love to hear from you! Email me at nina@theapostropheproject.com