I have a question?

[Mike Killingsworth]

I had something to just happen to me and just wanted to know how you would have handled the situation.

A man whom I have never seen came and knocked on my door saying he lived up the road from me and wanted to know if I would take him to town because his truck wasn't running and when I asked him where he needed to go he said he needed some liquor and I told him I just wouldn't feel right taking him to buy liquor and of course he looked at me like I was from another planet so I tried to explain to him why I felt that way but I'm not sure I made any progress with him. Any way after he walked off I got to wondering if I had did the right thing by not taking him to town and it just wasn't the going to the liquor store that bothered me but also that I had no idea who this guy was and I'm just not to fond of riding off with people I don't know. I just wanted to know how some of you feel about this.

Thanks, Mike

[Barb Bouldrey]

Mike,

You did the right thing. A Christian does not enable someone with a habit like drinking.

You could have asked his name and offered to drive him home so you know where he lives and then try to become his friend. Looks like God brought someone to your door that maybe you can reach in the near future.

If a person came to our door needing food, John would offer to go buy them some food and bring it to them. But he would never take someone to a store to purchase alcohol.

And we never give people money. If they say they need gas for their car, we go with them to a station and put gas in their car.

Barb

[BobHunt]

I dont think you can be too careful in this world. You might have gotten his name and approached the subject of salvation, and this is easy to say, but I think there are times when it would be wise to and times when it wouldnt be wise too, it depends on our feelings and Gods leadings I think.

[Bruce Carriker]

In this case you did the right thing. Stranger or no, if he'd come and said he needed a ride to the hospital, I'd probably have taken him. Or if he needed groceries. But booze? Sorry. Can't help you out with that one, friend.

[Dave McClung]

I had something to just happen to me and just wanted to know how you would have handled the situation.

A man whom I have never seen came and knocked on my door saying he lived up the road from me and wanted to know if I would take him to town because his truck wasn't running and when I asked him where he needed to go he said he needed some liquor and I told him I just wouldn't feel right taking him to buy liquor and of course he looked at me like I was from another planet so I tried to explain to him why I felt that way but I'm not sure I made any progress with him. Any way after he walked off I got to wondering if I had did the right thing by not taking him to town and it just wasn't the going to the liquor store that bothered me but also that I had no idea who this guy was and I'm just not to fond of riding off with people I don't know. I just wanted to know how some of you feel about this.

Thanks, Mike

You shouldn't second guess yourself. In situations like that, I breath a prayer that the Lord will give me wisdom, then I use my best judgment. In looking back, I can't give a logical explaination why I sometimes help and I sometimes don't other than that I have learned to trust my instincts. One just can't make those kinds of decisions based on logic.

One of the ideas from the Bible that I have tried to apply is to give people what they need rather than what they ask for. Jesus did that on several occasions. In the situation you described, his need is transportation. Perhaps you could have helped him fix the car.

[David Pettigrew]

People call my office nearly every day asking for money to pay their electric bills, rent, bounced check fees, etc. It always made me feel badly to say a flatout "no", first of all because I know what it's like to be in a bind, and secondly because I don't want to leave a bad taste in their mouth about the church.

So, we keep cans of soup in our pantry at church. That way, rather than just a "Sorry, can't help you" I can offer them something. We also keep a list of referral services by our church phone, and support a couple financially.

Don't know if this would have helped in your situation, Mike, but I've learned to be prepared when desperate people ask for assistance.

[Ryan Scott]

I think Dave said it best: you can't second guess yourself in that situation. There are times I might have given the guy a ride and times I might not have given him one. I don't think there is one option that is always right.

[Wilson L. Deaton]

I told him I just wouldn't feel right taking him to buy liquor....

Reminds me of a story from my past... :o

I'm at the exit to a parking lot waiting for traffic to clear so I can pull out into the street. A lady came hurrying up the sidewalk saying, "Excuse me, could you please help me. I really need to get to the bank. It's only a a mile or so straight up this road and I really need to get there..."

The Good Samaritan that I am, I pondered just a moment before agreeing to to give her a lift. We had driven about two blocks when she said, "So, do you want to fool around? It'll just cost you 20 bucks." Just a couple minutes later I dropped her off at the bank where she joined a half-dozen other gals already standing on the corner... :gen13

In my defense, I'm thinking I would have refused her the ride if she had said, "I'm a hooker. Would you please give me a ride to my corner?"

Wilson

[Jon Twitchell]

Did I see you in an episode of Frasier? :D