Charlie the Carnival Man

Charlie the Carnival Man

I met Charlie the Carnival Man yesterday at an Oregon roadside rest area along Interstate 5. I was stopping at almost all of the rest areas. Charlie was sitting directly below a NO SOLICITING! sign painted conspiculously on the side of the building that houses the restrooms. Charlie was holding a sign of his own. “Help! Gas Money or Anything. His flimsy cardboard sign was etched in black marking pen that said, "Help! Gas, money, or anything."

I stopped and sat next to Charlie. He was a tall, extremely gaunt looking individual. I swore that I could see every vein on his forearm, some appeared to protrude a quarter of an inch above the skin. He had no body fat. He must have used it all in his work.

In the course of conversation, I came to know a little of Charlie and his predicament. Charlie is over 50 years of age. His first comment was that this was strike against him as far as getting a job. He had about as bad a set of teeth as could be imagined. No tooth in his mouth was parallel to any other tooth. They all stood out quite well when he smiled. I seem to remembering him smile a lot. His hair was straggly and his beard did not help his appearance. Charlies overall appearance surely would not help him get a job either.

His most recent job was for a carnival outfit. He still wore their hat, but the season was over for Charlie. He was let go. He said that they paid him $40.00 a day, and it did not matter if it was 4 hours or 14 hours. He was not sure that he would be given unemployment, although he had applied. He previously had worked at food processing plant in eastern Oregon. But the second year he went back, they asked for a urine test. But he was not able to produce the required amount in a timely manner so they quickly dispensed with him as a rehire employee. After all, he was just another resource, that happened to be human. But in the corporate view that is easy to overlook! How often do we look at the beggar or bum or homeless guy and not see his human side nor the residing spirit of God within. How often Do we just judge them as someone, “Who are just working the system.”

42 Give to the person who asks you for something, and do not turn away from the person who wants to borrow something from you.”Matthew 5:40-42 ISV

On that recent trip I ran into several people in rest areas that were trying to raise money from the travelers that stopped to take a break from driving. Of those, with whom I stopped to talk, when I got to know them, seemed to be in a honest predicament. One fellow had a bucket and squeegee to clean windshields. Technically he was not asking for a handout. About one out of three did not tell a consistent story of their plight. Does that mean that two out of three were worthy of a gift of money? Often when I have seen someone asking for money I have questioned whether or not I should give it to them.

If I listen to the Holiest man in recorded history, he has some very poignant things to say on the subject.

Notice in verse 40 he says that if anyone wants to sue you give him more than he wants. He does not ask you to judge the situation. He does not say to give it to him if you owe it to him. He does not say to give it to him if he deserves it. He just simply says to give him more than he wants. Jesus never says that we should first calculate if we can afford it. He does not say that you should only give him what you can afford to give. Only give him your shirt if you have ten others.

40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat as well.
41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go two with him.When we look at verse 41 there is further revelation on giving. This verse was in reference to Roman law. Roman law required any none Roman to carry the baggage of a soldier for the distance of one mile. In so doing the jews would usually walk two miles, one up and one back. But Jesus said to carry the load for two miles, that for most Jews would have required a walk of four miles. Now the Romans were the foriegn rulers of Isreal. They were the oppressors. If a jew carried a bag one mile that would make sense, since there were penalties for refusing. But why would Jesus suggest to go what we call the extra mile. If I were ordered to carry the baggage of a soldier one mile, the old Tim would have had an instant attitude change. I would not be a happy camper. How possibly could me going twice as far a ordered bring about the Kingdom of God? Going two miles could only help the oppressor. In me it could only have brought out the worst in me, not the kingdom of God that Jesus wanted to foster in me. 32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a Prov 16:32 (NKJV)
Would the Roman soldier change his heart? The Jew would not know, but probably not since the conquered mostly despised by the conquerors, the extra mile could have been seen as further submission, not likely bring about the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God was meant to start in the heart of the believer, not in the unbelieving. It is true that God often worked miracles in unbelievers, and changed their hearts. But I am convinced that He loves me. He would not give me something to do that would bring me harm. So me going an extra mile, regardless of the motives of those demanding it, or requesting it, speak to me loud and clear. Following Christs teaching would bring about the Kingdom of God. If only in me then sad for the others. He never suggested that we question the motives of the requester. Whether that person was person of power, as the soldier, or the man suing, which is really like a crap shoot, But what about the beggar? Why should we despise him? He has no power over him, as both the soldier and the one who is suing have over us. Does this give us the right to question the beggars motives? I have friend that lives in Seattle. In this city there are often poorly dressed, disheveled men on the street corner holding a sign asking for money. My friend Jeannie was once a millionaire. Today, she is not. She does pull her weight though. Sometimes she, now in her late sixties, works at a department store in the Christmas Season wrapping packages to make ends meet. She is a person, IMO, better than most. She has dared to shoot for the moon, and came close for a season. She satisfied herself with helping these homeless ones by usually carrying one dollar bills to give each that would ask of her. Never judging those who asked. Never stopping to ask were they really poor, did they deserve this place in life, were they going to go buy a drink. She just gave. Now when I see someone on a corner or on the freeway off ramp with a cardboard sign, I think of Charlie the Carnival man.