Exposed to the Elements

"We hear a Christian assure someone that he will 'pray over' his problem, knowing full well that he intends to use prayer as a substitute for service.  It is much easier to pray that a poor friend's needs may be supplied than to actually supply them." A. W. Tozer, Of God and Men.

Lately I have encountered more people on the street.  Out of all the years I worked in Haiti where homelessness is common, it's a situation at home that I realize I need to face.  Judgment and preconceived notions tend to creep in.

I struggle.

I am skeptical.

I have trouble looking a person in the eye who is holding a sign at a busy intersection or leaning against a building along a busy road.

I battle between the feeling that I should do something and the feeling that the person probably isn't truly in need.

I am facing this battle.

During my drive each week to south St. Louis, I pass someone standing on the corner after I exit the highway.  It's not always the same person; sometimes it is.  I catch myself taking quick glances when I don't think said person is paying attention...and my battle begins: Should I help?  Or Not?  I kept falling on the side of "not."  My gut would say, "Don't ignore it," but my head would tell me to keep going.

One day while perusing the library, I stumbled across the book Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski.

Now I can't see things the same way.

A few ways in which my eyes are opening in regards to the homeless in my community:

• It is exhausting to spend hours trying to find the basic things a person needs in any given day when he doesn't have regular access to a kitchen, a toilet, or a safe place to sleep.  (And I complain because my daughter uses all the hot water in the morning...)
• The need for people to offer friendship and encouragement is real.  In the book, the author talks about what he witnessed when a youth group came to work at a mission he was staying in.

"Over the next few days, I watched a subtle transformation happening in them, too.  The kids moved from timidity and caution to comfort and confidence.  By the end of the week, most of them were enjoying themselves, bringing a welcome gift of friendship and encouragement to the whole place.  Something critical is missing in places that care for the broken and needy if the only people there are also broken and needy.  Without the presence of people in the rescue missions whose lives are not defined by addiction, alcoholism, crime, and mental illness, there is little positive influence" (Yankosi  36).

• Whether or not I am able to help in a certain situation, eye contact, conversation, and basic human interaction show respect and allow a person to maintain their dignity.
• We are all messed up, so why do I tend to have an attitude of superiority...because my actions haven't landed me on the streets?

I started looking for ways I could begin moving out of my comfort zone and came across this blog post that addressed some of the issues I have been battling.  Should I make up bags to give to the man or woman usually on the corner I drive past every week?  Should I carry a few extra bucks?  Should I focus on donating to or serving in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or a shower ministry?

This can become controversial when one starts looking for ideas.  What I do know is immediate needs should be met, but working towards long-term changes is critical.  

I don't have many answers yet, but my heart is changing and I'm working to do the hard things instead of avoiding the topic.

I am encouraged by stories of those who are on the front lines serving the broken, like Jake Austin with Shower to the People.  Jake's wife and mother-in-law traveled with me on my first trip to Haiti 12 years ago. Talk about people who love others where they are!

Although I don't know where I am headed with all of this, Tozer's words ring true: we too often use prayer as a "substitute for service."  May that be something we reconsider in all areas.