"I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." ---John 10:10b
"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." --2 Timothy 4:2
Yesterday's trip taught me a deeper understanding of each of these scriptures. When I first arrived I drove around to a few different locations, not seeing anyone, before finding Dave behind the auto parts store. He was the only one there during the time I stayed with him, although I left food and water for Derek too. We talked for probably thirty minutes about a variety of things and people we both knew. Dave is from the Pine Bluff, Arkansas area and I have family from that area too, so we have a special connection. Dave is 67 years old and has somewhat of a business opportunity through his family, but cannot raise the initial money needed to get started. He told me in past years he helped a couple of his brothers get going and now that he needs the help it's not there. He told me he has prayed about this and wanted to know why nothing's happened. It took quite awhile of talking to him to finally identify his brothers lack of assistance, but when he did I told him that should be the target of his prayers (for God to work on their hearts) and also, that if they were in this business, he may have to start at an entry level position until he 'earned' their belief in his ability to repay them. I told him that prayer was his most valuable tool at this point, but that it isn't a magic potent and it usually takes time to see results. He wasn't real excited about his prospects when I left, most people aren't when they realize that part of prayer is persevering through the times when it seems as though God is silent.This job issue is part of a greater issue of the homelessness and all it's ramifications that prey on the minds of these men daily. The hopelessness that they feel and then uselessness that comes with it, makes it easy to see how this mental cycle leads so many to find temporary relief through substance abuse.
I helped several other men before finding a couple of men on a side street off 14th Pl. I didn't get their names and the encounter went far less than the way I wanted it to go. I'd say when I left them I was troubled on a couple of fronts. So what happened? I pulled up to these guys on my way to McArthur Park. I had a couple of sandwiches left to give out which I offered to them. What they really wanted was money. In fact, one of them suggested the amount of $10.00. Now I've had people ask me for money many times. I usually don't give out any because I don't come equipped to give out money. The two sandwiches cost a little over $2.50 apiece and I told them they would last them through the night, but they were insistent on the money. I had to tell them two or three times that I had none to give them. Finally, I drove away. I'm sure they had some choice words for me after I left. Oh, by the way, they took the sandwiches in the end (what a surprise huh?) So one of the reasons I was troubled was that I did have ten bucks on me and I have given money out before, though not that much. I usually tell people who object to giving money to homeless people that $5.00 isn't going to make or break you, so what difference does it make if you 'lose' it by giving it away. I accept the fact that I will get used by people in this ministry. It goes with the turf. I guess what irritated me the most was their rejection of what I was offering. So a scripture came to mind that showed me God's perspective on this. Now I've had people reject me and what I bring them before and it's always troubling. So I looked up the verse that came to mind when I got home and found it in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. I can tell you that if it's in the Sermon on the Mount it's pretty important stuff to learn and understand. So here it is in Matthew 5:43-47:
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy', but I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you what reward have you. Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect.
So my initial thought was God sends the sun and rain (good things) on the just as well as the unjust. So everyone benefits from Gods general and basic blessings. So these two men benefited from the basic 'blessing' of giving food away to the needy. But, instead of being thankful they were unthankful for what they were offered and demanded even more. How often do I have this same attitude with God? And over what issues? I've think I've understood more of the bible by serving the poor than I ever actually learned in a bible study! However, studying the bible certainly lays the groundwork for the understanding of the situations I'm encountering. The above verses also point out that there will be people who will use me, but this is just what the Father experiences on a daily basis. Makes you wonder how many people 'used' Jesus to get healed. Anyway, after this encounter I prayed my way over to McArthur Park.
By the time I got there it was near dark and very cold. The verse at the top about preaching in season and out of season applied here. Because of the temperatures, not too many people were around still. Of the small group of Christians preaching the man, Rene' showed up after I got there. He told me he had just come from work. The two older women preached first. Rene' and I were last. After I finished I talked with Rene' and the two younger girls, who I found out are 17 and 15 yrs old. The older one spoke fluent English and told me that plenty of people around there, particularly the homeless people, definitely understand English. We had a group prayer while the two older women were intently talking to some man who had walked up earlier and were giving us some trouble. They were talking in Spanish so I couldn't follow what was going on, but the two young girls said he seemed to be 'disturbed' about something. Well, we said our goodbyes and I look forward to seeing them next week. --Until then. John
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