A day in Chinatown

Went to Chinatown today. It was a long time since we last went there for lunch and marketing. After lunch, while walking along the sidewalk, I noticed a beggar rushing to a busy spot and knelt down. Cupping his hands, he begged in the most pitiful voice:

"I am so hungry. I have no food to eat. I work the whole day for free in Chinatown. Please help me. Please." Many passers-by ignored him. Some looked on, while others seemed unsure what to do. I walked past, thinking of how I should respond, ever thinking of Jesus's words,
Whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done unto me.

In my mind, I was skeptical about the truth of the beggar's words. Work for free? After a couple of minutes, the beggar went across the street, sat down just next to our parked car, and started the same routine. Like a pre-recorded message, in his most pitiful voice, he repeated the memorised words, with pathetic facial expression to anyone that walked past:

"I am so hungry. I have no food to eat. I work the whole day for free in Chinatown. Please help me. Please. You people bought so many things. You got so much food. Look at all the things you have bought. I am so hungry. Please help me."

Despite my thinking of him having Hollywood potential, we decided to give him our pack of crab fried rice just before we left. To our amazement, he shuddered and moved away, not wanting to accept anything. Instead he was pointing to the restaurant in front of us, pointing to the hanging roast duck and BBQ pork. He already knew what he wanted. Ours is not up to his expectation. Eventually, we gave him a $2 coin. As I drove off, my mind was thinking:
"I do not believe you. I do not believe all those crap you mentioned in your sympathy speech. However, we are still willing to give you the little token."

I do not think we have become more righteous, or any less guilty after giving out something. We are indeed like beggars on earth, or like someone said, one beggar telling another beggar where to find food. Our guilt in sin still remains. Sometimes I felt like a beggar asking God to give me things that I want, in my own packaging, according to my own design, rather than God's hand in grace.

Beggars are common. I am not any much different or righteous. So, that is a little glimpse of Vancouver life in Chinatown.

kianseng