Spiritual Masturbation part 1-The Poor

(Guest blog from Jonathan Almanzar)

We're going to use the next 5 days to look at ourselves. If we are truly motivated by love for our Saviour, or if we've just found a new way to feel good.

I live in Mexico. When I head out to the city I make sure that I have around $5 in pesos to pass out. There are homeless and beggars on every street corner and traffic light. I give to everyone who asks until I run out of money. I feel good about it (especially if someone is visiting us and riding along) and feel like I'm helping people or being charitable. But at the end of the day I go home to my tiled floors, my mostly full refrigerator, to my purified drinking water and I have to ask myself…have I walked 2 miles with anyone? Mat. 5:41

Here's my question. When we give our 5 bucks or donate our old clothes to the poor, are we really concerned…or have we just found a cheap way to get off? (especially glaring in this are the drive-through clothes-drop at the salvation army.)