No good deeds going unpunished

A couple days ago I was approached by a man in his early 20's asking if I had any work for him to do. I told him no, he answered that he hadn't eaten for 2 days and was starving. I said that if he was really starving, I would take him next door to get a burger or something, he declined saying he didn't want a handout, he wasn't raised that way, and he insisted he needed to work to buy his own food. I remembered that I had a couple stumps to pull out from a hedge I had cut down, I asked if he would be willing to do that and he said yes.

I took him home, gave him some tools. Since I was going to be gone all afternoon I gave him some money, saying that since he turned down a freebie I was going to trust him to do the job, and left.

Well, you guessed it, I came back home and he had taken the money and ran, without doing any of the work.

I believe that God honors what is in ones heart, and that he credits an honest act of charity even if it goes bad. Is this a reasonable assumption?

I also prayed that the money he stole be cursed, that since he betrayed what was was an act of Christian charity in the name of God, satan be loosed to hound him and that cash. Is that reasonable to do?

The bible tells us to be hospitable because in doing so you may entertain angels... Now I am not saying this man was an angel a cheat maybe. But you were doing the honorable thing in trying to help him. It is so hard in todays world to know what to do with all the panhandlers that are out there. We don't know the genuine from the crooks. I don't think you had to curse the money because God has said He will issue the judgment/punishment that is needed when the time comes.

For a long time I just would not give money to anyone because I just didn't know how they were going to use it, but then I have loosened up a bit lately because I realize God will judge them for right or wrong usage of that money. My last approach was at a gas station a man said he was embarrassed to ask me but had left his wallet at home and the gas tank was on E so I said I'd give him the cash I had as I had used a credit card for my purchase. It was $4.00... it would not make or break me to give it to him.

So just leave it with God and know that your intention was to help the person - you never know maybe someday it will be me at the gas station that forgot my money. I would hope someone would hand me $4.00. God bless you for your charity.

No.

"That is God's department..."


"Leave that to God. I promise you, He can / will come up with a far better way to handle that situation than we could ever come up with ourselves..."


God does not want us to wish evil upon anyone. ( not even our enemies, remember? )

Instead -- pray that God will convict him...

What if he were to show up at your house next week - with an apology and a show of remorse - give you your money back AND offer to do the work, also ( for free )...?

Tell him of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ --- right?

Do you believe that it could happen?

Do you believe that God could accomplish it?

EDIT: I meant to say --- "satan be loosed to hound him" ??? Satan would encourage him to do it again...

Thank you. I as a rule will not give money to anyone on the street, but anyone who says they're hungry I'll buy them a meal. That's why when he turned down the free meal I figured he was on the level. And there are so many of them out there these days. I've been carrying bags with a few cans and drinks and handing them out when I sense a need. When I was still working (fireman) we would sit with the rig while the cook went shopping and watch people panhandle in the driveway. There was one regular on the corner, she got picked up by someone in a Mercedes when she was done.

If he showed up to do the work, and I've held out that he just might, I'd pay him double. And probably cook him a steak dinner, he'd told me the day before he'd done some gardening for a steak dinner. I don't wish him ill, and if he'd return I'd bless him, but this was specifically an act of Christian charity, and his decision to betray that will indeed incur God's Judgment. I'm just out here saying 'go God'! JK. And for the record, I never really cursed him, I cursed the money. He took charity for 50 bucks, may it give him $50 worth of misery. And may the Holy Spirit convict him on why it was miserable.

Hey! Maybe it was the guy from the other thread who said he'd believe if God dumped cash in his lap! lol

To tangent on an issue, we should not blanket dismiss the place of curses. In Acts there are 4 occasions where people were cursed for being contrary with God; in them 3 people died, one was blinded, and another repented. 1 Cor 5, if someone does not change their evil ways they are to be handed over to satan... In the end we see some with the power to call down plagues, just like we saw in Egypt with Moses. Titus 3 talks about it; Titus 2:15 exhort and rebuke... 1 Timothy 1:20, 1 Timothy 3:6 , 1 Timothy 5:20, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, people who add to the words in Revelation (and beyond) are cursed - it's all over the Old Testament. There IS a place for this, especially as we enter and try to survive the tribulation judgments. We are going to need every aspect of Christs power in the times soon ahead. So it's time to stop blanket dismissing the gifts and the authorities we have access to, and to start practicing them (a la Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil). Under God's guidance, of course, but He can't guide us upon roads we're not willing to walk.

I am praying for him. And looking for him at Lowes... lol!

I will definitely feel angry,if i someone did like that.So I always ,keep and eye on the situation.I know that people can cheat.But,there are times i have felt hurt when i tried to be Good to others.Also i felt bitter a lot later.But when i start Praying,i am humbled to forgive them,just as God Forgives me.
So when you get past the hurt you feel,do not curse Him.Pray for Him so that God touch him and change him.
Otherwise,next time you see a real person or someone who has a good heart,you will turn your back on them.
How many times i have did like that..Later i feel miserable.Still learning...
Ask/Pray to God for His Council to cover you.You will get the answer for forgiving others.
God Bless

RickyZ I believe God alone has the authority to bless or curse mankind. In the old testament we read there are blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, rewards for obedience and punishment for disobedience.I believe we all deal with such betraying incidents and even I feel angry at times . We human beings have a different authority , we are the image of God. There are human curses which has no root in God. As we read in the book of numbers Balak the king of Moab summoned Balam to curse Israel. He wanted to defeat Israel because he considered Israel as a threat. But everytime Balaam who was a servant of God opened his mouth He could only bless Israel. What I mean is there used to be a custom in olden days of trying to bring a curse on someone so that they could be easily defeated. God forbid's us to put any human curse on anyone but God has power to curse or bless His image.Regarding handing someone to satan I can only say When devil is described it is said he steals, kills and destroys , why should anyone feed such a being? why partner with him? He is our enemy and a rebellious fallen angel . It is said any kingdom divided against itself will fall , lets assume we mankind are like a kingdom if we are divided and allow our enemy to destroy our own species who is falling ?That doesn't mean I justify the wrongs of any person, When I deal with such problems I just give that matter to God and I pray for justice to be done in this matter , that the Lord executes His judgement over this case and may He who is the Judge decide the punishment or curses that should fall over the wrong doer. May God alone be glorified.

So I hadn't thought much of this guy since my last post; in a population density like ours trying to find an individual is like trying to find the needle in a haystack. I'd pretty much written it off as a learning experience and moved on. But as I pulled out of the driveway today to go to the store, he flashed thru my mind. 'Maybe I oughta go cruise by Lowes to see if he's there' I thought, but it turns out I didn't have to. Drive down the street, turn the corner, and he crosses the street right in front of me. I pull over, watch him enter the McDonald's, and go in after him. He's not in the dining room so I wait outside the restroom. Sure enough he walks out and trys to walk by me. The hall way is small and I'm big so he realizes that he's not getting by. I ask if he recognizes me and it's game on.

He does, he tells a series of lies which I am able to refute. We discuss the possibilities (gimme back the 50, do I call the cops...) but he has nothing and they've already said they're not interested. I ask him what he did with the money, he said he paid for a motel room but ever since he hasn't been able to find work and has been living in a park. In the end we end up staring at each other. In addition to being un-Christian like, kicking the snot out of him in front of a Micky D's full of kids just doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

"I'll come back and finish the job. If you can get me a chain saw, a tow chain and pull it with your car I'll come back and take those stumps out for you" he surprises me with. I sweeten the pot - checking my calendar, I say "if you show up Friday morning, I'll get you whatever tools you need and I'll pay you again". After further discussion he agrees, shakes my hand and we go our seperate ways.

Honestly, if he shows up Friday morning, not only will I pay him again, but I'll grant him another wish I heard him mention before - bus fair back home. As the Trans Siberian Orchestra put it, I've noticed that today of all days, if we could be home, we'd be already there.

Lord God, be Lord over this situation. May this young man walk thru the door You have opened for him, may I be given the chance to bless another human in Your Name. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Guess who showed up this morning? He worked hard and pulled those stumps in 2 hrs. But he turned down the bus fare home, says he has a job prospect and a place to live starting next week. So I paid him double what I'd given him before.

Lord, as I cursed him when he walked away, may Jake be blessed even more so for returning. Guide his steps Lord, in this world and the next.

I'm glad he came back. In the moment, I guess he just thought the job was too hard, but he shouldn't have kept the money. Still, God gave him and you another opportunity.

It is amazing how God works things out. I pray this young man will turn toward God from your witness and thanks a bunch for not kicking his you know what outside of Mickey D's. You know as an afterthought there must be some lesson God was teaching you too. I know when I have been in the heat of a moment God has turned my thoughts around to really view the situation as He might see it. The outcome is surprising to me.

Ricky2, all he wanted was the money and where you live, when you offered and he refused that told me and now tells you, he lied said he has not eaten for two days, he would have been hungry enough to take you up on that, he didn't and that was enough to have said that is the best you can do, Keep an eye out, be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. Many of these homeless have a place to eat and a check from government in the mail once a month, whether you knew this or not it is what it is

Praying for you it turns out to be for the benefit of God, as I know in the long run it will, yet I am afraid not with him for now. He sees you and your kindness and that is good, please listen some have to chew the cud of the ground as King "Nebuchadnezzar had to for I think 12 years before he repented and praised God no matter what. Just saying and thank you for you and your love, yet discernment important Brother, very.

Praying it is all true what he said to you, bet he will be back, with the prospect did not turn out

Hmmm, wow, hmmm...

You're both right, there are scammers out there, having lived my life in the streets I know first hand that yes we do have to be discerning. But that comes thru practice and, well, when you go to the rifle range you don't always hit the bull's eyes. And really it's the misses that hone your aim. Yeah I've been scammed before and I'll be so again. And believe me no one has less faith in humanity than I do. But you still gotta try, right?

I was out there working with him, he was doing the heavy lifting while I provided the truck and tow chain. So we talked, and visited. Did he cheat me the first time? Absolutely. Did the Holy Spirit convict him? Absolutely. Did he respond? Absolutely. And you know there's nothing God loves more than a repentant sinner. And so I gotta go with that.

Will I see him again? Well, funny thing is, I kinda sense I might. I pray for this job and living situation he says he should have; if that falls thru he may come ask for that bus fare. And heck, I may fly him home. He's got his grandfather's badge (law enforcement) from Kansas City tattooed on his shoulder so I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth about being from there. And even if it is a scam, I won't have to worry about him showing up again

Biscuit, please tell me how I am being self righteous. I don't think I am but if you see some I want to know about it. I'm not adverse to a course correction where one is warranted. And I always feel that an outside view is better than my own, especially when it comes to me. That's why I'm here, to hone my sword.

Oh, and, could I die trying to help someone? Oh please, please please please please. To think that in the next twinking of my eye I could find myself partying before the throne of God? Oh please, please please please please. Not that I let that influence my deciscions but, PLEASE!

God bless you guys

Amazing story, the only thing I can think of is to pray for your enemies. Remember when the disciples wanted to call down fire on the town for rejecting Him? What did Jesus do? Turn and rebuked them saying "You dont know what spirit you are of."

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Romans 8:6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.



Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Rather than cursing the man. shouldn't you have prayed that his heart open up to the ways of God?

But his heart did turn in the end. The consequences of being a cheat lead him to turn around and do the honorable thing. That's the intended result behind rebuking someone who doesn't respond to loving efforts. I think the results here speak for themselves. Go back to the book of acts, in it there are 4 occasions where people were cursed for being contrary with God. In those instances 1 man repented. In this instance, the man repented.

I'm not saying this should be a regular thing. But as one of the tools God gives us it shouldn't be dimissed either. When one is at war, and make no mistake we are at war (evidenced by the Ephesians 6:12 verse), one must use all the weapons one is given.

Again, as a result of what went on here this man repented. Praise God!