Most of my stories start with me portraying myself as a chivalrous, larger-than-life figure. In a classic example of expectation vs. reality, I find myself humbled repeatedly by unlikely characters and circumstances, and today is no different. My example was fantastic until someone apparently far less capable than I outdid me.
The Set-Up
My experiences with Recorridas Nocturnas (last week’s message) inspired me to take additional action. In the mornings, I loaded my backpack with bananas and oranges, hopped on my bike, and rode to Plaza Miserere, a park populated by the homeless.
There, I would sit down with the people, carry on a conversation as well as I could, and distribute the fruit. A visit by a fruit-bearing American in spandex bicycle pants with limited Spanish skills provoked a mixture of fascination and amusement.
During one visit, I met a young couple with an infant. For reasons I cannot comprehend, the parents were in reasonably good spirits, not complaining miserably. Touched by their situation, I attempted to find baby food for their child. My ignorance, combined with the need for a shelf-stable product and the limited selection at the grocery store, led to an unsuitable purchase.
Although she could not use the food, the mom accepted it gratefully and said she would give it to someone who could. Despite my failure, I imagined my valiant effort had rewarded me with a radiant halo over my bicycle helmet. I wondered if anyone could be as magnanimous as I. Then, her husband returned.
My Comeuppance
Her husband is the guy who carries a cooler and pesters you on the street corner to buy ice cream of undoubtedly dubious origin. Most pedestrians likely regard him as an annoyance, only slightly more tolerable than a beggar, and do not consider the possibility that he is laboring for a wife and one-month-old son living in a park.
When he returns and discovers a foreigner talking with his family, giving them some fruit and ill-suited baby food, the man of truly limited means opens his cooler without hesitation and offers a frozen treat. Although I did not want to deprive him of precious inventory for future sale, I accepted it because I did not want to deprive him of his generosity.
This circumstance called to mind the biblical story of the widow’s contribution of two coins representing sacrificial giving compared to the rich person’s dollars. My benefactor sacrificed sales proceeds that could have addressed his needs. My expenditures did not impair my ability to feast on ojo de bife and Malbec wine.
Worse, his actions reminded me of the biblical admonition to sell everything and give to the poor or the difficulty a rich man has in reaching heaven. These passages seemed to have inspired more interpretive scholarship than giving. Despite a firm belief in the Bible’s literal inerrancy, nearly everyone can offer a seemingly unassailable explanation of how these words do not mean what they say.
A Quandary?
I do not have the desire or ability to lecture you about Biblical lessons, but I can, without requiring a penny, offer my thoughts.
Do not get haughty about your giving or distraught that it will never be enough. Like any lifelong endeavor, your giving will evolve and mature over time. If you spend time in earnest reflection, you will arrive at the right type and amount.
