Are you a "look" giver?

I read this article and I had to stop and think. Do I give "the look" to the homeless? I'm trying to think back on the last homeless person I saw....I mean, truly homeless as described in the article. I never have cash or change on me so I usually don't roll down my window and give out cash, but I do try to help in other ways. I try to make regular donations to the North Texas Food Bank so that those who are in need can get the food they need for their families. But I never see those people, so again, it's hard to say if I'm a giver of "the look" or not.

This weekend, I went to Target to get some things and there was a woman standing outside asking for money. She claimed to have four children and no money to feed them. Not having any money in my wallet (cash) I went inside without really thinking twice about the woman standing outside. However, after gathering the few items that I went into the store for, I made my way over to the bread aisle, picked up a loaf and headed to the peanut butter aisle to pick up a jar of peanut butter. When I went back outside she was gone. Presumably, someone complained to management and they had to ask her to leave. I wasn't able to give her the peanut butter and bread that I bought for her so instead I've been driving it around in my car, waiting for an opportunity to give it to someone else who needs it.

I don't know if people standing on the corner are always in need. I can't ever decide if because they have brand new shoes on their feet that means they're not homeless or it means that someone gave them a new pair of shoes. But here's what I do know...I don't want to be a "look" giver. I want to treat them with compassion because it's obvious that they need it. Regardless of whether or not they're living under a bridge, the bottom line is, they're standing on a street corner asking for money. Even if they're not homeless, they're obviously in need of something even if that is a moral compass and not money or food.

~ Each of us in our own way can try to spread compassion into peopleís hearts. Western civilizations these days place great importance on filling the human 'brain' with knowledge, but no one seems to care about filling the human 'heart' with compassion.
Dalai Lama