Just the Basics
A reflection on Exodus 16:2-15; Matthew 20:1-16, Every day, all around us, on street corners and the exit ramps of highways we see them. People who are struggling, people who have deep needs for the basics, people who share a portion of their story in a few words: homeless, need money. What do you do when you see a man or a woman holding a sign at an intersection? Do you pretend to fiddle with the radio or suddenly notice an interesting cloud in the other direction? On a certain day in Oklahoma City, if you had turned your head, you would have missed Doug Eaton's birthday celebration. Eaton turned 65 that day and decided to celebrate by spending 65 minutes handing out $5 bills to people driving by. He stood at an intersection holding a sign that said: "I have a home . . . and a car . . . and a job. Do you need a few bucks for some coffee?" People didn't know what to think. One driver said, ”I think this is the craziest guy I've ever seen in my lif...