How Much Can I Give?

When we pulled our van up to the bus station on Thursday night there were more than 100 homeless men and women standing in line to receive a bowl of rice with chick peas and shredded chicken.  The students in our ministry training program prepare enough to feed around 150 people every week.  We've been serving our city in this way for more than 4 years.  

This week when we pulled up the police were also waiting for us.  Apparently someone had complained that Christians were distributing food to the homeless and the police responded by sending two officers.  After dramatically interrupting our normal distribution and scaring some of the people away the police eventually let us finish handing out our food in order to prevent a mob of angry poor people.  However they told us that we weren't going to be able to continue distributing food after this week.  

When it was all over my wife and I walked back to our car, which was parked in a different place, and the same two officers, plus two of their supervisors were waiting for me at my car.  "Mr. Ryan?" They asked.  The most senior officer started by asking why we were at the bus station.  I told him that we wanted to feed hungry people, nothing more.  They told us that in in the future we would need permission from the government to distribute food to the homeless.  "Really?" I asked, "What department would I go to for that kind of permission?"  The officer didn't know.  

"Well," I continued, "what if I want to give a coin to a poor person on the street.  Do I need government permission for that?"  

"No, no, of course not." The officer replied.  

"Hmm... What if I want to give the poor person a grilled cheese (a common street food)?  Do I need permission for that?"

"No, no, of course not.  That's fine." 

"What if I give away two grilled cheeses?  Three?  Four?  Exactly how many grilled cheeses can I give before I start needing government permission to help poor people?"

At that point the officers realized that they had fallen into the trap and they got quiet.  Eventually the youngest one said, "That's different."  It wasn't exactly a strong argument.  The senior officers warned me that I would be asking for trouble if I continued and that as a man with a wife and children I should take that into consideration.  

I have considered.  And we'll be back at the bus station on Thursday.

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