First Baptist Church of Herndon

Catch a Break

Linda Soller | Mar 11, 2019

A woman stopped to offer a donation to a homeless man. As the story went there was also a woman with a baby. She gave the money to the woman and the man came to the window to supposedly thank her but killed her instead. Across the country people were appalled. How could someone beg and then kill the good Samaritan. Indeed, the “good Samaritan” was used when referring to the victim. But, we learned this week that the story was just that, a story, not the truth. The woman’s husband and daughter have been arrested for the murder and they had made up the rest. The crime is sad and terrible enough. The tragedy of trying to point a finger at the homeless is a tragedy all its own. Many of the homeless are there because they couldn’t seem to catch a break. Now they have people adding to their image of being worthless, and criminals. 

I do understand that in any population there are good folks and not so good folks. I also understand that for many it was all too easy to believe the tale told by the man and woman who played the grieving family. How sad that we can be manipulated so easily. Homeless people everywhere felt the fear of our society. Donations dropped off. What was too meager on which to thrive became nearly non-existent. Truly they couldn’t catch a break.

The criminals were caught trying to leave the country. Family and friends struggled to believe the situation. Some family members never bought into the original story yet so many of us did. We don’t live in a perfect world and we don’t meet perfect people. We aren’t perfect people. But if you believe in God you know He can use you and your gifts for great change. Don’t turn your back on the homeless. Don’t let them be victimized by those who clearly don’t care about their situation. Keep them in your prayers, give when you can. Who knows, your small token may be just the break they need to catch.

Have a great week?  :o) Linda