Are We Not All Beggars?

As I was walking to my bus stop a few moments ago, I came across a man sitting on the pavement in a crevice of a building, knees pulled up to his chest, arms folded over his knees, and his head buried in his arms. The sign he held was different from the average variations of "Anything helps" signs I see scattered through downtown. Etched on a small, worn, spiral notebook in blue ink, were the words, "I feel invisible.... I just need a little help." I continued walking...as Carry Underwood's "Something In the Water" streamed loudly through my headphones into my ears "Now I'm singing along to Amazing Grace...got joy in my heart, angels on my side....I am changed...now I'm stronger...there must be something in the water." As I got further and further away from him, trying to ignore the image of this invisible man in my mind, with thoughts like, "If I give every homeless person in Seattle money, I'll go broke" running through my head, the personalized nature of his plea, along with the lyrics of the song that was blasting in my ears, finally stopped me in my tracks and reminded me what the heck this life is all about. Extending mercy. Showing compassion. Living what you profess to believe. I turned around and walked up to the man. I spoke to him, and he did not look up. I tapped him, and it still took him a moment to register that someone was talking to him. We exchanged a long look of mutual respect and compassion, I gave him two dollars, and I walked away. I seriously don't know the answer to homelessness. I've done tons of research on the causes...war vets, mental illness, domestic violence, addiction, disputes between children and parents, foster children, job loss, and the list goes on. I hate it. I absolutely hate it. But ignoring it won't make it go away. And maybe...treating these people like actual people is a start to ending it. Like Elder Holland reminded me in the last LDS General Conference, are we not all beggars? It doesn't matter how they got there. Sometimes hardship is handed to me...sometimes I bring it on myself...and in both scenarios, I beg my Savior for relief, and He gives it to me. Every time. These people need some freaking relief. I'm going to do my best to give them some by SEEING them and recognizing them as my brothers and sisters in Christ.