"The Shifty Heart"

"He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doeth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor." (Psalms 10:8) I must say, that without a doubt, I am terribly convicted by this verse! Not because I have murdered anyone; all though, I have most likely done so in my heart; but because I have passed by so many people that have signs which say, Please Help; I am hungry. Be it the lack of time, or that I have judged them to be someone who is working the common cause; either way, I feel guilty for not stopping to at least say hello, and that God loves them. But you know, in doing so without providing that which they might need, will not help them, nor will it bring glory to God. The way that this verse starts out is the reason for my guilt; for it says, "He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages". What I saw in my mind, was me sitting in my truck, the windows up and the doors locked; while right outside my door in the center island of the road is a person standing with a sign; meanwhile, I am fidgeting with whatever I can to pass the time until the light changes to green, and I can be gone. Now I know that some of those who panhandle are doing so because it can pay pretty good, especially if you have a good corner and a catchy phrase or plea; for I too once did this as a young teenager, and would go twenty miles on a bus to the beach, just so I could ask for money to get home; by the end of the day, I had bummed at least $20.00, a quarter at a time! But there are those who are destitute and in need of real help; some of which have nothing more than that which they have on them. And yet, who are we to judge those who are worthy or not; yet we do; at least I know that I have, as I described above, sitting in my truck! And I have to ask myself, What do I base giving on? For I know that I love to give to those in need: I do it all the time; but what makes me not give to some, but give to others? Is it just what my heart feels like on the day that I pass by? And if so, what is my heart feeling that day? Let me share with you what I saw: "He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages"; starts with the word "sitteth", which I saw to mean 'to remain' or 'stay'; which was not that alarming, until I looked up "lurking places", and then I saw the vision of me in my truck; for the definition that hit me, was that of 'where one is placed'; making me think of my placement in my truck, at the red light, with a person right outside my window holding a sign, and here I sit securely in my place! Oh, it only gets worse; for the next statement that is made, says, "in the secret places doth he murder the innocent"; with "secret places" meaning a hiding place, but also meaning 'the secret place', that of the heart! Which made me think of some of my thoughts towards those outside of my window, and how I could be so judgemental! And then, that last statement which is made, really convicted me as to where my treasure is actually stored! Do I not help them because I do not want to part with my money? Maybe so; and if so, then I might need to seek the Lord on that one! For "his eyes are privily set against the poor" spoke to me about how I judge them for not working a real job, and instead they stand and beg. Maybe they cannot find a job! If they stink, are filthy, and have clothes that are all torn up, who would hire them? It was the part "privily set against the poor" which really makes me wonder about the giving part; because the word "privily" speaks about 'to hide' or 'treasure' or 'treasure up'; which made me think of the words that Jesus spoke in Luke 12:33 & 34: "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in heaven that faileth not, where no thief approcheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there your heart is also."