Just got back from “the” Wal-Mart. Needed a pair of boots. Size 13. For our friend Tony. Tony is a guy who needs help. Not from us, obviously. From everyone. From all of us. Tony represents what I guess I’d call the lost, homeless guy. The guy with maybe a bit of a mentally challenged existence and one who maybe falls through the cracks. We met Tony our very first Sunday I believe. Or pretty close thereabouts. We helped him get a pair of boots pretty soon thereafter. We’ve been blessed to be able to help Tony several times since then. In fact, I don’t even have to ask a size anymore. Where was he getting them before? I mean, in the past 16 months, I think we’ve been able to get him about 4 or 5 pairs of boots. He walks all day, best I can tell. And he is the single, dirtiest human I’ve ever met. I’m pretty sure he sleeps outside wherever he can. But when God looks at Tony, what do you think He sees? I think He sees a reflection of Something. And should Tony fall through the cracks? Shouldn’t there be a way for him to be in a better situation? Lots of questions for me around the lost, homeless guys today. Not so many answers…
Friday we had a little get together at our house. We have been gathering here the first Friday each month with some of the folks that volunteer their time and efforts downtown. First Fridays we call ‘em. Pretty original. :) We had about 20 people here Friday and we had a great evening. It allows us a little time to let down and get to know each other a little better in a more relaxed environment. It gets a little crazy downtown on Sundays, so it’s difficult to get to know the people that give so freely of their time to come down each Sunday and help. We have been blessed with an incredible group of people that do this with us each week and this is a great opportunity to spend a little time in fellowship. So I was talking to someone Friday who was explaining an encounter she had recently. She came in contact with an individual who just does not believe what we are doing is right. Enabling is the word he used. We are enabling “them” to continue in a lifestyle that they may never get out of. Thinks we should let the professional agencies handle this stuff. Now I could be wrong, but I don’t think a hot meal, a clean pair of socks, a clean shirt or new coat and maybe a Bible is going to enable anyone to stay mired in a bad circumstance. But if we are able to help a person out in the name of Jesus, then I guess we are guilty of enabling. Guilty as charged. But here’s the deal as I see it. We are simply another point of contact. Another avenue for a person to travel for whatever a couple of hours on a Sunday in a downtown park has to offer. The interesting thing about this fellow’s observation? He’s a Christian. How then does one come to the conclusion that this is an enabling situation? Are we enabling a guy like Tony to keep from getting a nasty case of frostbite by helping him with a clean pair of socks and a pair of boots? Aren’t we supposed to take care of each other? Especially the least of ‘em? It’s all confusing to me to hear that kind of response. But not really. I mean, people are certainly entitled to their opinion. No matter how crazy I think it might be. Enablers? C’mon man!! :)
Had an interesting conversation today with a fellow named LC. A few minutes into the conversation, I found out he was from Mississippi, he lives at the Sienna Francis House, and I worked for his uncle about 15 years ago at the downtown Campbell Soup plant. Just about a block from where we meet on Sundays. The plant is long gone now. Replaced by a performing arts center. LC is an interesting fellow. 54 year old African American gentleman. Seems like I meet someone every single week that I’ve not previously met. I’ve never seen LC on our corner before. I really hope I never see him again. He’s trying to get permanent housing. I pray that he does. That they all do. The odds are probably against that. But it is my prayer. That God will someday just blow me away and we’ll show up on that corner some Sunday with food for 100 or 150 and no one will be there. That would be extremely cool. Maybe we can, with God’s blessings, enable them all into housing and jobs. Enablers…I have to chuckle at that one.
I was talking to a fellow yesterday. Robin and I. along with Nick and Erin, had the opportunity to talk to a group of folks at Christ Community Church. A “how to bring your faith/Jesus into the workplace” conference. I only spoke for a couple of minutes. The context for me was pretty simple. How has this ministry impacted me, and how has it impacted those people I work with at Union Pacific? Or has it affected or impacted them at all? After I finished, we met a fellow we know who has been ministering to the poor and homeless for nine years. We’ve known him since at least last summer. He told us how angry he was with us when he first heard of what we were doing downtown on Sundays. Here he was trying to get these guys into the local churches and they were coming down to have lunch with us. Now I understand exactly where he was coming from . But I’m telling you right now, there are some of these guys that may never darken the door of a local church. So if that is the case, and I obviously don’t know that for sure, but if so, shouldn’t we take a little of it to them? The cool thing about our conversation yesterday? He’s now ok with our “enabling”. Maybe he sees that we are in for the duration? I’m not sure why the change of heart. I mean here’s the deal for me. We owe it to these ladies and gentlemen to bring the love of Christ to that corner each and every week. We have to. He tells us to. So now? This fellow is going to start going to the library across the street from where we meet and organize bible studies and such after we conclude our weekly activities. That I understand. What I don’t understand is fighting against the grain and forcing the square peg into a round hole. If these folks aren’t going to be in a church, shouldn’t we take it to ‘em, so to speak? Enable them to have a little of what we all want. A close, intimate relationship with our Savior. Enable them to have a chance for fellowship. Enable them to have a chance at a different community than maybe they are accustomed to. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll see that there is a way out. Because there really is only one Way out. And if I can be an enabler of that? Then I’m on board. This thing is not our doing. It’s His doing. Clearly.
Dear Lord….thank You for this day and thank You for this meal. And thank You for the opportunities You place in front of me each week. Those opportunities to be intentional about my love for You. Thank You with everything I have.
Signed...the enabler.
Peace and have a great and blessed week.
…”it matters to that one”…
…not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
2 Timothy 1:9
Friday we had a little get together at our house. We have been gathering here the first Friday each month with some of the folks that volunteer their time and efforts downtown. First Fridays we call ‘em. Pretty original. :) We had about 20 people here Friday and we had a great evening. It allows us a little time to let down and get to know each other a little better in a more relaxed environment. It gets a little crazy downtown on Sundays, so it’s difficult to get to know the people that give so freely of their time to come down each Sunday and help. We have been blessed with an incredible group of people that do this with us each week and this is a great opportunity to spend a little time in fellowship. So I was talking to someone Friday who was explaining an encounter she had recently. She came in contact with an individual who just does not believe what we are doing is right. Enabling is the word he used. We are enabling “them” to continue in a lifestyle that they may never get out of. Thinks we should let the professional agencies handle this stuff. Now I could be wrong, but I don’t think a hot meal, a clean pair of socks, a clean shirt or new coat and maybe a Bible is going to enable anyone to stay mired in a bad circumstance. But if we are able to help a person out in the name of Jesus, then I guess we are guilty of enabling. Guilty as charged. But here’s the deal as I see it. We are simply another point of contact. Another avenue for a person to travel for whatever a couple of hours on a Sunday in a downtown park has to offer. The interesting thing about this fellow’s observation? He’s a Christian. How then does one come to the conclusion that this is an enabling situation? Are we enabling a guy like Tony to keep from getting a nasty case of frostbite by helping him with a clean pair of socks and a pair of boots? Aren’t we supposed to take care of each other? Especially the least of ‘em? It’s all confusing to me to hear that kind of response. But not really. I mean, people are certainly entitled to their opinion. No matter how crazy I think it might be. Enablers? C’mon man!! :)
Had an interesting conversation today with a fellow named LC. A few minutes into the conversation, I found out he was from Mississippi, he lives at the Sienna Francis House, and I worked for his uncle about 15 years ago at the downtown Campbell Soup plant. Just about a block from where we meet on Sundays. The plant is long gone now. Replaced by a performing arts center. LC is an interesting fellow. 54 year old African American gentleman. Seems like I meet someone every single week that I’ve not previously met. I’ve never seen LC on our corner before. I really hope I never see him again. He’s trying to get permanent housing. I pray that he does. That they all do. The odds are probably against that. But it is my prayer. That God will someday just blow me away and we’ll show up on that corner some Sunday with food for 100 or 150 and no one will be there. That would be extremely cool. Maybe we can, with God’s blessings, enable them all into housing and jobs. Enablers…I have to chuckle at that one.
I was talking to a fellow yesterday. Robin and I. along with Nick and Erin, had the opportunity to talk to a group of folks at Christ Community Church. A “how to bring your faith/Jesus into the workplace” conference. I only spoke for a couple of minutes. The context for me was pretty simple. How has this ministry impacted me, and how has it impacted those people I work with at Union Pacific? Or has it affected or impacted them at all? After I finished, we met a fellow we know who has been ministering to the poor and homeless for nine years. We’ve known him since at least last summer. He told us how angry he was with us when he first heard of what we were doing downtown on Sundays. Here he was trying to get these guys into the local churches and they were coming down to have lunch with us. Now I understand exactly where he was coming from . But I’m telling you right now, there are some of these guys that may never darken the door of a local church. So if that is the case, and I obviously don’t know that for sure, but if so, shouldn’t we take a little of it to them? The cool thing about our conversation yesterday? He’s now ok with our “enabling”. Maybe he sees that we are in for the duration? I’m not sure why the change of heart. I mean here’s the deal for me. We owe it to these ladies and gentlemen to bring the love of Christ to that corner each and every week. We have to. He tells us to. So now? This fellow is going to start going to the library across the street from where we meet and organize bible studies and such after we conclude our weekly activities. That I understand. What I don’t understand is fighting against the grain and forcing the square peg into a round hole. If these folks aren’t going to be in a church, shouldn’t we take it to ‘em, so to speak? Enable them to have a little of what we all want. A close, intimate relationship with our Savior. Enable them to have a chance for fellowship. Enable them to have a chance at a different community than maybe they are accustomed to. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll see that there is a way out. Because there really is only one Way out. And if I can be an enabler of that? Then I’m on board. This thing is not our doing. It’s His doing. Clearly.
Dear Lord….thank You for this day and thank You for this meal. And thank You for the opportunities You place in front of me each week. Those opportunities to be intentional about my love for You. Thank You with everything I have.
Signed...the enabler.
Peace and have a great and blessed week.
…”it matters to that one”…
…not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
2 Timothy 1:9
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