Tonight I was leaving Common Grounds when I met a very friendly character. His name was J.D. He had a ball cap pulled down over most of his face. He wore a large camouflage jacket that covered most of the jeans that were probably too small for him to be wearing. He had a long beard that covered most of his face. As he walked right up to me in the friendliest manner possible, I realized that J.D. was carrying his life savings in his hands. His life savings consisted of a baby stroller full of coke, and beer cans. These cans were literally J.D.’s lifeline. You see, J.D. is homeless. And all he wanted was some food to hold him over until tomorrow because he hadn’t collected enough cans to buy food today.
Homeless. It’s a word we hear every so often but it’s a word that many of us don’t really pay any attention to. It’s kind of like the people that carry this label. People like J.D. We see them every so often but don’t really pay any attention to them. I wonder why it is that we don’t pay any attention to these people. Is it because the sight of them disgusts us? Maybe it’s because they are too dirty or smelly to touch or be around? Is it because we don’t have anything to give them? I know this question isn’t true, because we all have something we can give every time we see a homeless person. Or is it because of the stereotype which screams in our ears that the only reason they are asking for money is so that they can get a pack of smokes or beer? I wonder if this last question is only an excuse for us to not have to help the homeless. I really wonder how many excuses we make unconsciously so that we do not have to help the homeless.
Is it our job to judge what a person like J.D. does with the money I give him? I don’t think so. Rather, I think that it is our job to give to those in need. Period. We discussed the other day in my scriptures class that the Bible offers less than 5 verses on the topic of homosexuality while over 200 verses on how to care for the poor. And I find it quite disturbing that we spend more time getting up in arms about using the 5 verses for homosexuality as a proof text rather than spend half that amount of time helping those in poverty.
“Then the righteous with answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe you?’” (Matt. 25:37-38)
My question tonight that I have pondered on my drive home from buying J.D. some food and talking with him for a short time: Are people like J.D. really asking that much of us? Even more so: Is it our job to judge what they do with the money we give them? Or is it just our duty to give? Are we so busy and so full of ourselves that we cannot stop and take a few minutes to help a fellow human who is just trying their best to make it to tomorrow?
The King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you do it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matt. 25:40)
As I lay my head on my pillow tonight, I will be praying for J.D. I will not be praying for God to send someone else in his path to give him food or money (although I do hope that happens). I will be praying that God will grant me the mercy and grace to see J.D. again. I will be praying that I will have a chance to help J.D. at least one more time. I will be praying that God will allow me at least one more chance to further a friendship that has begun tonight.
May we be a people that no longer ignore J.D. May we be a people who slow down enough to put a name with the face of those homeless we see every so often. May we be a people who befriend those like J.D. And may we be a people that truly believe that it is more blessed to give than receive.
