Ethical
Dilemma
Dan
Miller
Section
2
After approaching you begging for money once, the same
woman is now returning, hand outstretched, asking for “just 2 or 3 dollars” in
order to buy some food. You can see she is in need, and remember the command
that we feed the hungry, that we are all beggars.
Just returning from my last big vacation before I headed
out from my mission I ran into a similar situation. Full of “greenie” fire, I
was travelling home to Washington DC from New York City. The trip was a quick
one, just a weekend, but included visiting my friends ward for church on Sunday
and hearing the announcement of the Manhattan temple, a huge blessing for the
members in the area.
I had taken the cheapest form of transportation available
to me, the greyhound bus. Besides having a low fare, this mode of
transportation allowed me time to think about my upcoming assignment to the
Colorado Springs mission. Both directions gave me the opportunity to discuss my
feelings toward the gospel with fellow passengers. On the first leg I read
through the first discussion with the person sitting next to me, and on the Sunday
return a neighboring lady asked if I was a Mormon, basing her comment on the
tie I was wearing and the Sprite in my hand (apparently only Mormons drink
Sprite.)
This bus ride also gave me the opportunity to study. I
specifically read through King Benjamin’s address in Mosiah, paying special
attention to the direction he gives concerning those we describe as beggars:
16 Ye yourselves will succor those
that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto
him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up
his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon
himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him
of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his
punishments are just—
18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this, the
same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath
done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all
depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have?
--Mosiah 4:16-19
As I stepped off the bus at our destination, those verses
still visible in my mind, a beggar woman approached me, hand outstretched,
asking for “2 or 3 dollars” so she could buy some food.
Clearly, King Benjamin’s lesson was standing right there
in front of me. This was not even a choice. I pulled out my wallet and handed
the lady a few dollars, to the disgust of everyone watching. Smiling I sat down
on my bag and waited for my ride.
Then, after waiting for half an hour for my ride, this
same woman approaches. I’m sure she didn’t recognize me, because again, her
hand was outstretched, and again the same request came: “2 or 3 dollars” so she
could buy some food. Clearly this woman had “brought this misery upon herself,”
right? Can’t I just ignore her like everyone else at the bus stop? What would
you do?
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