October 18, 2007
I Can’t Hide the Homeless Anymore.
My friend Tim from The Well has been doing some reflecting on his experiences of recently serving the homeless down in the city. Anna from our church leads a group of people down the Love Park area each Monday night. I went down a few weeks ago and look forward to going again.
I have a bunch of things stirring in my soul from that one evening. The biggest thing that night did to me was that it made me deal with a very real problem. No longer can I ignore it. I’ve tried to push the fact that there are hundreds of homeless men, women and children 25 miles from where I sit on this nice comfortable couch from Ikea while typing on my MacBook Pro out of my head. Its just not a comforting thought. The empower has no clothes.
I’m not ready to sell all I have an give it to the poor… but damn, didn’t Jesus tell the rich young ruler to do just that?
That night that I went down there I learned something about the homeless that I had just never thought about before. Some of these things are obvious. Others were stereotypes I had that came crashing down.
These people have names. Joe. Janet. James. These people have stories. These people are kind. Many of them have jobs. Not all of them are drug users (though, some are). They love playing UNO. Not all of them dress like slobs. Some of them wear ties to work everyday. They appreciate that we chose wheat bread because its healthier. These people are not really that much different than you and me. In fact, perhaps one thing that would help is if I stopped calling them “they.” We are all humans. Loved by God. His beloved. All of us. Some of us have made poor choices. Some of us have had a string of bad luck. Some of us have been fortunate enough to have families, homes and well paying jobs and sofas from Ikea that we can use to blog on our MacBook Pro computers.
I am not here to make us all feel guilty about having sofas and computers and blogs. But, to those of us who have been given much (like you and I)… God is calling you and I to love those in need. Maybe he’s not calling you to the homeless in Center City Philadelphia. But, I am sure he’s calling you to care for those in need somewhere in your life. If you don’t know anyone who is in need? Well, then maybe you need to either just open your eyes or make a major change in your lifestyle to make it possible.
Oh, and being too busy is not an excuse. I use that one all the time. Honestly, that excuse stinks. It’s convenient. But it stinks. That excuse is a lie that our culture is telling us. If you are too “busy” to serve those less fortunate like Jesus did than you need to ask some serious questions about your current lifestyle. I know I do…
Like I said, Tim is doing some reflecting on his experiences in the city. Part I, Part II, Part III. I’ve read part III and its especially good.
Enough from me. Now I’m off to watch The Office. I know… I know…
10.22.07
By: Josh Clark
My wife and I just had the opportunity to attend the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) annual conference in St. Louis and we’ve been asking a lot of questions about how to do ministry WITH the poor. We are both from the middle class (even though Karlene grew up poor) and the tension of the Jesus’ instructions to the rich man weigh very heavy on our heart. The three tenants of the CCDA are Redistribution, Reconciliation, and Relocation. I think that the hardest one for me as a comfortable member of the middle class is the relocation component. But I have to believe that it is worth asking for God to intercede in my life regarding. Why? Because the thing that separates us from reconciliation and redistribution is identification. In order to get beyond charity (the act of giving in order to make one feel good) to justice, there must be identification.
My largest fear in life is that I will go away sad like the rich ruler because I have much. My prayer is that God will expand my compassion for the poor, so that I may follow Christ into identification with the poor and dispossessed.
10.23.07
By: Jessie Robinson
I just went to a “Convoy of Hope” in the area I live (Charleston, SC) and found that so many of the people coming through for help struggle just like I do. They are working hard, trying hard, and many believe in God and keep the faith even in the adversity they live with daily.
My husband was homeless at one time. He was recovering from alcohol addiction and had lost everything (job, family home, material possetions, Chiropractic Licensure) all because he had Grabbed hold of alcohol and drugs trying to fill a major void (that God shaped hole) and as I know him now I am in awe of his dedication to Christ and his dedication to helping others fight their way into recovery. I’ve never been homeless, but I have been without a relationship with Christ and I’d take homeless with Christ than a house without him any day. God has called us to go after his lost, hurt and broken in a way that is familiar to us, in recovery from addiction; I’m recovering from addiction to food and relationships; my husband is recovering from addiction to alcohol and drugs but truely what we are recovering from is a loss of relationship with Christ which is why we were using other things to fill the darkness in the first place.
We are just starting a “celebrate recovery” at our church and hope that this will also assist getting those who are in need (including the most lost, hurt, and broken) receive God’s love in a very viable way.
We hope to be able to assist people just like us: Those who are homeless, jobless; those who have lost family and friends and those who don’t have Christ in their lives to recover from that brokenness. We are called to help the lost sheep.
10.23.07
By: Mike Lehr
Todd, you really got me thinking with this post and our conversation the other night. I just posted about this on my blog. Click on my name above and it should take you to it.
10.30.07
By: Tim
Hey man,
Thanks for the props. I am just writting what I see. I really feel people need to see it as well. It is really that important. Just so you know, Part 4 is now up and ready. It was another intense night with the homeless. Talk to you later man. Peace.
11.10.07
By: mark
hey man… just a comment. I made the mistake of saying something to the effect of “we don’t have the same problems with homelessness in the suburbs” in class one time. my professor completely schooled me in front of the entire class. lets not forget that this is not an issue just occurring in the city. i realize i am commenting on this post a little late, but i am just getting around to checking your blog.