Eminem and the Girl Scouts

Thoughts about the poor, with just a little profanity.

There is a portion of Eminem's song, "Lose Yourself" that "gets" to me whenever I play it:

All the pain inside amplified by the fact
That I can't get by with my 9 to 5
And I can't provide the right type of life for my family
'Cause, man, these goddam food stamps don't buy diapers...

I thought of that song because, last Saturday, members of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri hung an "April Showers" bag on our front door. This is a program where you can donate shampoo, soap, TP and tissue, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, feminine products, diapers, and other items not purchasable with SNAP benefits. The Scouts deliver bags to homes, and all you have to do is purchase such items and place the bag at your door this coming Saturday, and the Scouts will pick it up and deliver the items.

The song also reminds me of some of the reading I've done for research projects, like the book Nickel and Dimed, and an article that told the story of a construction worker who lost his job. The family subsequently lost their home and live in a trailer donated to them. The wife indicated that being homeless is about “being called names. Its being ridiculed. It’s running into people that have seen you in your highest and are not even speaking to you anymore because they’re too afraid for where you are and don’t know what to say.”(1)

A couple years ago I noticed something in the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-23). I realized recently that money was not the only issue with the man, maybe not even the main issue. People say, "Oh, he was so foolish, he kept his money instead of following Jesus!" He also had no empathy with the poor. Jesus gave him a specific thing to do with his money: help the poor. The man felt sad, but not a sadness for the poor. He couldn't see how Jesus’ command was a meaningful and compassionate opportunity. Zacchaeus, on the other hand, met Jesus and spontaneously formed his own plan to help the poor.

Our political rhetoric in America can be blameful and hostile to the poor: the poor are "they" who won't work hard enough, or cheat the system, etc---not like "we" who are successful. But the Luke story alerts us that Jesus himself urges kindness and outreach to the poor. His famous comment, "you always have the poor with you" (Matt. 26:11) is a reminder that we've ample and, unfortunately, endless opportunities to help the poor.

But this is not always easy. For one thing, it’s very easy to judge others harshly. I love this story that John Wesley told on himself. He looked at the yearly contributions to the Methodist ministry and noticed that a particular man had not increased his contribution recently, and Wesley challenged the man not to be selfish with his money. As it turned out, the man had turned his life around, was trying to pay off his sizable debts honorably, and was living on boiled cabbage in order to do so. Wesley felt sad that he had made a hasty, superficial judgment about the man's heart and circumstance.

We can agree that the Bible is unambiguous about our need to care about and help the poor ...but how do you care for the poor? That, too, is not always easy! Experts in social ministries caution that giving cash to people (e.g., "panhandlers") is not a good thing to do at all, and you're not really helping the people. Unfortunately, I learned this after working at a church where I couldn't always tell, intuitively, who was genuinely in need, and I found that ambiguity very upsetting. Addressing the social problems that cause hunger, homelessness, and poverty is a better way to help. Addressing those problems may indeed mean a monetary donation to an agency. Getting involved in some ministry or program is another way, especially when you're involved in the work with friends. The trick is to do so with right motives, not just guilt or "getting a good feeling from helping others." As for changing social structures?.... That seems beyond our individual abilities, unless we're prepared for extraordinary personal sacrifices (e.g., to seek political office). When we're dealing with public policy, issues of justice and fairness become complicated and open to debate.

But simple opportunities may present themselves---like the Girl Scouts' program, and many others. We don't need to think we should save the world. As we grow in grace, God may show us many ways to respond to people in need. We can feel kindness in our hearts whenever such an opportunity arises.


1. Mike Osborne, “Slide into Homelessness Jolts Middle Class US Families,” Voice of America News.com, Feb. 1, 2010: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/economy-and-business/Slide-into-Homelessness-Jolts-Middle-Class-Families--83243767.html