there's something that's been on my mind a lot recently. and i'm not sure what to do about it. where i live (close to sports arena and rosecrans) there are many homeless people standing on the street corners with their cardboard signs. every day i pass them on my way to and from home. i sit at the red light and feel guilty as they walk past my car and i try not to make eye contact. i always wish that i had something to give them - not necessarily money, but maybe an extra blanket or a bag of chips. but i don't. i just stare at them and my heart melts. these people have no one to love them, no one to turn to for help. many homeless people have mental disorders that keep them from having a steady job. the people most in need don't get the help they deserve. why? who knows. for me, i think i'm scared. homeless people are dirty, have ragged clothes, and are unpredictable. but they are PEOPLE. and those are ridiculous excuses for not helping them.
jesus set a great example for us. he lived and ate with these kind of people all the time. he saw that they were most in need and he came to them. he saw past their ragged exterior and looked into their hearts. the same kind of heart that every person on this world has beating inside their body. i think homeless people just want someone to listen. they need someone to talk to, someone who will give them the time of day. 1000s of cars pass by them every day. maybe one person sticks their arm out the window and gives them their change. jesus didn't just hand out money. nor did he do all his work "behind the scenes" when no one else was watching. jesus didn't do charity. he did justice. and there's no reason why i can't do justice, too.
"the blessings of God are too good to keep for ourselves"
Shane Claiborne
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