Lessons from the Homeless

I have struggled with indecision about whether to write this post, mostly because it hit home for me, in a very real and personal way.  I struggle with prejudice.  Oh, I don't mean prejudice in color, natural ability or disability, or age.  I struggle with a deeper prejudice.  I have found myself looking at homeless men and women, and making a judgement about them.  I think to myself, he or she must have a strong addition to lose everything and wind up in the street.  I sometimes think to myself he must have dropped out of school, or isn't very bright, or is not sound in mind.  I see the missing teeth, the mismatched clothes, and the dirt on their hands, and I think they must not be clean.  I admit, I have walked away or across the street of a group of people who I knew to be homeless.  I did not want to have anything to do with them.  I was afraid.

This overpass over US 51 in Decatur, over Cerro Gordo Avenue was the home of several men, otherwise homeless and not willing or able to live in one of the established shelters in town.  These are men who may or may not be addicted to substances like cocaine or heroin, or just unwilling to live in the rules set by the local shelters.  The photo on the right captures the day the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) came and got their belongings.  There were men arrested for trespassing, and a general seizing of all the belongings they stored up there, including mattresses, pillows, blankets, food, cups, radios, and yes, even toothbrushes and toothpaste.

It was later in the day, when IDOT left, that I walked over to see the strewn remains of what was left.  I saw pages of books, a remnant of a photo, a toothbrush, and a hair pick.  This is when God convicted me. These men are people.  These men are people that He loves.  He does not keep people out of His kingdom just because they made a mistake or series of mistakes.  He doesn't keep them out when they face a daunting struggle with addiction, or struggle with paranoia that comes with mental illness.  He loves us all.  We in turn are challenged to love each other, and not to set aside any person, just because of our preconceived notion of who they are.  We don't get the luxury of knowing everything about a person, and we are not the ones who see into their hearts.  That belongs to God.

At least one of the men, who thankfully was not living there at the time, has professed a belief in God.  He met a man in his homeless walk who shined the love of God right into his very soul.  This man, who humbly shares his story and his faith still ministers to homeless and addicted people today. These days, the man who used to live under the bridge still faces his addiction daily.  He wins someday, and some days, he loses.  He still falls.  Does that make him less than a believer?  I believe he is repentant, and that we will see him in heaven one day, free from the burdens he shouldered in this life.

Every person on this earth has a story.  Every person on this earth has a chance to believe.  It is our responsibility to share the gospel with all, and without prejudice.  I believe the parable of the good Samaritan tells the lesson the best (Luke 10:30-37).

"Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked.  The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy."  Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." ~Luke 10:36-37 (NLT)