God told me to go to McDonald's...Well, sorta

God didn't exactly tell me to go to McDonald's.

But He did tell me to view every person in need as Jesus.

That means that, out of gratitude for God's undeserved gifts of forgiveness and new life for all who repent and believe in Jesus, I'm called to love others as God has loved me.

And I'm to do it with practical gestures, not just hollow words.

A few weeks ago, I was in Columbus' Short North district for a concert. Before the show began, we decided to walk along North High Street, in a stretch once blighted, but now filled with new bustle and vibrance. But, while there, I encountered several people who asked for money to eat.

At the time, contrary to my usual practice, all I had was a twenty. I usually only care a few ones.

To my embarrassment, I was loathe to part with the twenty.

And, of course--or, at least it's an "of course" to me, every time I was approached by one of these folks, I kicked into rationalizations for why I shouldn't give them any money.

"How do I know that they won't use the money on drugs or booze?" I asked myself.

"How do I know if this these people aren't lazy and this is just their way of generating income?" I wondered.

Well, of course--there's that phrase again, I don't know if the people I encounter on city streets or at the lights of freeway off ramps aren't druggies, boozers, or users.

And even if they are any of those things, there's a good chance that they still get hungry.

Besides, those words of Jesus were haunting me: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one  the least these, you did not do for Me" (Matthew 25:45).

So, I prayed. "God," I asked. "How can I be responsive to these people, without judging them, leaving that to You alone?"

Then, it occurred to me that I could honor such folks' professed request by giving them a gift card to a fast food place that doesn't sell alcohol. Voila: McDonald's.

Yes, people can sell the cards I give to them and use the cash to buy drugs or drink. They can ditch them, too.

But I'm not responsible for what people do with the gifts from God that we share with them. I'm only responsible for what I do with God's gifts to me.

Everything else is up to God.

So, I bought some gift cards from McDonald's as a way to be obedient to the God of love Who, through Christ, has changed from His enemy to His friend. I plan to keep a few of the cards with me all the time.

You never can tell where life with God may lead you. Maybe even to McDonald's.

Bonus Track: From Our Short North Foray

A few days ago, I shared about our most recent trip to Columbus' Short North. Here's a bonus video, showing the randomly arranged wares (mostly chairs) at one store there, complete with two Hitchcockian cameos by yours truly, along with a terrible videographic faux pas at the end.

Let's Go to the Short North!

No appointments, no obligations today! What should we do? Let's go to the Short North in Columbus, walk around, and find a nice place to eat. Sounds good!

Along the way, remember to share the road!

And be sure to admire the varied cityscape on North High Street.

Stop to learn a little about Alice Schille. (More here.)

Notice the randomly artistic display of merchandise in front of a little shop housed in the basement of the Greystone, an old apartment complex that at one point was quite seedy, but now, I think, is tony.

Wonder if anyone eats a falafel while getting a tattoo there?

Take a look at all the neat old stuff a person could buy at GrandView Mercantile. (See here.) Have you ever noticed how stores in re-gentrified areas never call themselves "stores"? They're always called things like "mercantile," or "emporium," or "bazaar." What's wrong with calling a store a store? Am I wrong, or do those other names sound pretentious? (Am I starting to write like Andy Rooney talks? I hope not, because honestly, when we watch '60 Minutes,' we always mute the sound. Or, we may hear the first few sentences of his spiel, turn to each other and say, "He's got a sweet gig," which is our way of saying, "For these inanities, Andy is paid a handsome salary." OK, I feel better now. Back to our tour.)

Be sure to admire some local graffiti.

Look south on High Street toward downtown. See the Nationwide Insurance office tower? It looks like a giant walkie-talkie. I don't know if it's still there or not, but when the Nationwide building was first opened back in the late-1970s, one of the upper floors incorporated the boyhood home of its one-time chief honcho, Dean Jeffers. I guess it was sort of the Nationwide Insurance version of a US presidential library. But to those on the outside, it always seemed a little odd. Nationwide used to be called the Farm Bureau. I don't know if they were on your side back then or not. (Help me, I am turning into Andy Rooney!)

Eat at a place called Rigsby's Kitchen. (I didn't take this picture, which you probably can tell, because it's in focus.) I'd never heard of Rigsby's before today, although it's been there since 1985, the year after we moved from Columbus to northwestern Ohio. My mother-in-law said it was a good place and she was right. I had something I'd never eaten before, Faro Risotto. It was excellent! You can read reviews of the place here.

Who's that at the next table? Oh, yeah, it's Yvette McGee Brown, who ran on Ted Strickland's ticket for Lieutenant Governor last year and now serves on the Ohio Supreme Court. I won't snap her picture, just let her eat her meal and converse with her luncheon companion in peace.

Leave the restaurant, having enjoyed the food and each other's company.

Oh look! Paul Palnik's shop is open. Let's go see if Paul is in. Ann and I got to know Paul thirty years ago when he worked in a program for the Greater Columbus Arts Council with which Ann worked in those days, the Artists-in-the-Schools program. Local artists of all sorts were booked into local schools for varying periods to provide young people with insight into what's really involved in creating art, whether painting, sculpture, dance, architecture, music, poetry, whatever. Paul is a great cartoonist!

While there, we listened to the latest CD by his son, Elijah Aaron. (You can find his music on iTunes.) "He's a good boy!" Paul told us proudly. We're the parents of a good boy and a good girl ourselves; so, we appreciate his pride. I bought a copy of Elijah's CD. I love it that the children of old friends are making wonderful music these days. (Tim Skipper, the son of high school friends, sings, plays, and composes in a great band called House of Heroes. That band is on iTuunes, too.)

Paul also paints, in vibrant colors. Wonderful stuff!

As we left, Paul told us, "May God bless you in every possible way He can bless you!" It was a beautiful benediction to our foray to the Short North.

[I didn't take this picture of Paul either.]

When Ann worked at the Arts Council, she saved some of the envelopes in which Paul sent the vouchers for his work with the Artists-in-the-Schools program. Later, she had them framed and we have them on display in our house.

Maybe if you go to the Short North, you can have a nice day too. And, may God bless you in every possible way He can bless you!"

[You can click enlarge any of the photographs here.]