When faced with a person needing help, we have two options. To mutter something incomprehensible under our breath and walk away, or to help. It really does seem to come down to that.
There is of course a tendency to help people we know well, such as family and close friends. But when we come across strangers, and homeless people in particular, we are often much less obliging.
Perhaps we’re scared, perhaps we think someone else will help them instead, perhaps we don’t think they really need the help or will use any charity we give them towards alcohol or drugs. But whatever the reason, homeless people are among the most vulnerable among us — and certainly can often use a helping hand.
It appears that a Burger King worker, a young man by the name of Matthew Resendez, understood this very well.
Back in 2018, Matthew was at work one evening when a homeless man walked in. It wasn’t unusual for Matthew to serve homeless men at the restaurant, but this particular man had an unusual question for him.
The scruffy man approached the counter and asked simply: “What can I get for 50 cents?”
When Matthew heard his question, he had two options. To respond with the basic reality: “Nothing” — 50 cents would not have gotten the man even the smallest appetizer on the menu. But that’s not the response Matthew opted to give.
An Act of Generosity
Matthew rung up the most hearty meal on the menu — and covered it out of his own pocket.
The story could have ended there. But a diner happened to notice Matthew’s little gesture of kindness and reacted by paying it forward… and tipping him $100!