Being the president and treasurer of the Jackson County Ministerial I am faced with many decisions on whether people traveling through genuinely need help when they ask for it. You see…Jackson is located on I-90 and US Hwy 71 so it is a high traffic town. People hitchhiking often stop in Jackson looking for help. Some people really do need help and some are just trying to travel cross country on someone else’s nickle. I hate being suspicious of people when they ask for help. I want to give people the benefit of the doubt but I also want to be a good steward of the resources placed in my charge. Some days I just want to give up my treasurer office and let someone else deal with it. Then I have days when I know that we, the Jackson Ministerial, are helping someone (like today).
This Psalm, my fourth installment, is a reflection on the struggle I face. I know I am not perfect, so I ask God everyday for the strength and wisdom to know when aid is truly needed. Being the treasurer of the ministerial is a curse but also a blessing. Here’s Psalm "4":
Psalm "4"
Your Spirit blows through, in and around my life;
how can I possibly ignore you?
You remind me of your presence in a stiff breeze that liters a beautiful yard;
you upset my surroundings – you mess up my status quo.
I survey the "damage" and wonder what to do next;
I wonder why you have disturbed me so.
I sit and fume not realizing the haunting reality around me;
the wonders of your awesome love and faithfulness.
So I walk around and clean up the "mess";
only to discover something else – something precious.
The "mess" I once considered a nuisance is a reminder to my complacent heart;
a reminder that I am needed in this world.
Your creation and your children need me.
Your Spirit blows through, in and around my life;
how can I possibly ignore you?
A person walks along the road;
but I am too busy.
One of Your children call;
but I am suspicious.
A fellow servant needs help;
but I am unavailable.
You knock at the door;
and I cringe.
I am ashamed…
The "messes" you bring in our lives are not "messes";
they are precious reminders to be who we were created to be.
We are caretakers.
We are servants.
We are called.
I can’t ignore you – I won’t ignore you.
I am needed.
Your Spirit blows through, in and around my life;
how can I possibly ignore you?
I can’t ignore you – I won’t ignore you.
I am needed.
Oh God, "I believe, help my unbelief"
-edh-
The Heart of a Pastor 
Your psalm was a good “kick” to me this morning as I am struggling with an attitude problem.
Regarding the people who come to the church door: do you have any informal or formal guidelines for helping? I know that our pastor gets lots of these people, as our church is the closest to the hiway. But she has to call another pastor who is the keeper of the funds. Awkward.
I know that they have gone to paying for a motel room rather than giving cash, etc. But she was thinking that it would be good to have several gift cards for the grocery store on hand to make it easier for her to help people without always contacting the other pastor.
PS,
The only “formal” policy we have is to send people to me. This way people can’t jump from church to church asking for the same thing – abusing the system. Having a central location has been a big help.
As to who to help — there is no formal or informal system. That is the hard part. I guess we have to rely on judgment and the Holy Spirit.
The help we give to people is in the form of vouchers – we don’t give out cash. We have a motel, restuarant and gas station we send people to with vouchers and these places send me the bill. Works pretty good.
But it is still a struggle because I hate being suspicious of people.
Thanks for the comment and question. I am glad I could help “kick” you this morning. Take care.
Eric