Homeless people

[Guest yod]

While I agree with the gist of what you are saying about spending our aid money at home, I honestly don't think any amount of money would fix this unless you are talking about a socialist/communist/fascist state where the government takes responsibility for the care of everyone.

So far all of those have been dismal failures.

And all had different ways to solve the "homeless problem"

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

I wrote this poem awhile back on this matter.

For Who's To Say

He sits in a corner,

shivering from the rain.

The smile upon his face,

is there only to hide his pain.

His clothes are tattered,

his shoes are worn.

His heart is broken,

his spirit torn.

We walk by,

pretending not to see.

Saying within ourselves,

"Thank God that's not me."

He drops his head,

and the tears start to flow.

The sky becomes dark,

and his hunger begins to grow.

With each step,

echos the beating of his heart.

Just a moment of our time,

could have meant a new start.

We're too busy to notice.

We need to stop and realize.

For who's to say the next person we meet,

won't be the Savior in disguise.

[apothanein kerdos]

I agree and disagree with Leo on this one. I agree with his assumption of the majority of homeless people. I disagree with his conclusion. Such as, we either seek to try to change their paradigm of "decieving" (of course, if they refuse to change, there isn't much we can do) or we help them on a minimal basis. Everyone will take advantage of us as one point or the other...shall we forgo loving them as well?

[Clio]

As Abba's children, we are not tasked to help only those who deserve it.

We are told to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, give water to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, shoe the shoeless. We were not told to do it only if they are deserving. We are told that in doing so, for the "least of these" we have done it for Jesus.

Period.

Deserving and choice has nothing to do with it.

Only in our human perspective does being deserving enter into the equation.

I am not deserving of salvation, but I am certainly worthy. Jesus Himself deemed me worthy of His very life. He deemed every single "undeserving" homeless person worthy. It may be that through the undeserved kindness they receive from one of us, that the homeless person finally has their eyes opened to True Jesus and what He wants/did/does/will do for them.

I will not, by my actions or thoughts, assume that anyone my Beloved deemed worthy of dying for is unworthy of my help.

Clio

[shaitiger]

Good conversation going on here. I know it is a very difficult task to help the homeless in this day in age because of the label they have receved over the years. You can assess the danger using the intelligence God gave you. If it seems too dangerous and you aren't the type to be putting yourself in those types of situations, then I would refrain from doing so. If it's safe then all I can say is that if the spirit puts it on your heart to share the gospel or give them something to eat, I'd say give it a try. God Bless..

[Guest LadyC]

I will most likely get shot down for this but I"m going to say it anyway. I feel this government spends far to much money over seas and not enough here helping our people. I see kids down in the southern states living in third world conditions, no food, no heating, or fresh water. They have nothing, and I mean nothing and here we are spending billions in Africa on aids. I'm sorry but your right we are the richest country in the world and it is inexcusably for people to be homeless and go hungry in the United States of America. Did you know that 7 out of 10 homeless in Washington DC are veterans? No we need to do something for us and let the other countries take care of them selves. Help them yes but not at the expense of our people.

rustyangel, no argument from me! i've been mildly shot down for stating the same thing many times in threads about contributing to charities that feed people overseas. we need to take care of those in our own backyard.

and no, i'm not contradicting my position on homeless folks. the majority of them live that way by choice. but there are thousands of families that struggle to survive with parents that are willing to work making minimum wage... and we all know that 40 hour week at $5.15/hour is NOT going to pay rent, buy groceries, and take care of medical expenses.

[Guest yod]

As Abba's children, we are not tasked to help only those who deserve it.

We are told to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, give water to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, shoe the shoeless. We were not told to do it only if they are deserving. We are told that in doing so, for the "least of these" we have done it for Jesus.

Period.

Deserving and choice has nothing to do with it.

Only in our human perspective does being deserving enter into the equation.

I am not deserving of salvation, but I am certainly worthy. Jesus Himself deemed me worthy of His very life. He deemed every single "undeserving" homeless person worthy. It may be that through the undeserved kindness they receive from one of us, that the homeless person finally has their eyes opened to True Jesus and what He wants/did/does/will do for them.

I will not, by my actions or thoughts, assume that anyone my Beloved deemed worthy of dying for is unworthy of my help.

Clio

does that mean we can't have an honest evaluation of the situation?

I've had roughly the same experience as Leonard yet we both are/were involved in helping the homeless. At some point, I had to evaluate whether what they "wanted" was what the Lord wanted for them. Mans ways are not His ways usually.

The pastor I went with under the bridge always took up an offering. This offended me in my spiritual immaturity but now I know that he was doing the right thing. The ones who gave were the ones depending on the Lord. The ones who didn't give were the ones blaming the Lord (and everyone else but themselves) for their situation.

Until they repent, we will only be helping them remain homeless by giving them the means to do so.

So what is your experience with the homeless? Are your comments theoretical platitudes or based on real experience?

[EricH]

As Abba's children, we are not tasked to help only those who deserve it.

We are told to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, give water to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, shoe the shoeless. We were not told to do it only if they are deserving. We are told that in doing so, for the "least of these" we have done it for Jesus.

Period.

Deserving and choice has nothing to do with it.

Only in our human perspective does being deserving enter into the equation.

I am not deserving of salvation, but I am certainly worthy. Jesus Himself deemed me worthy of His very life. He deemed every single "undeserving" homeless person worthy. It may be that through the undeserved kindness they receive from one of us, that the homeless person finally has their eyes opened to True Jesus and what He wants/did/does/will do for them.

I will not, by my actions or thoughts, assume that anyone my Beloved deemed worthy of dying for is unworthy of my help.

Clio

Paul also left these instructions:

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

2 Thess 3:10 NASB

We are also commanded to be good stewards of that which God has entrusted to us. Part of being a good steward is not to throw good money after bad.

[Leonard]

I agree and disagree with Leo on this one. I agree with his assumption of the majority of homeless people. I disagree with his conclusion. Such as, we either seek to try to change their paradigm of "decieving" (of course, if they refuse to change, there isn't much we can do) or we help them on a minimal basis. Everyone will take advantage of us as one point or the other...shall we forgo loving them as well?

A.K. I think we're saying the same thing. My conclusion was 'help them on a minimal basis' too. But the Word of God still stands that 'if a man will not work, neither should he eat....' By the way, I was NOT making any 'assumption' but speaking from several years' experience and the investment of 10's of thousands of dollars! DON'T THROW YOUR MONEY THAT DIRECTION!

Paul says the Church's charity ought to be to take care of widows and orphans, and he even HEAVILY QUALIFIES THAT GIVING!!!!

Too many Christians are out there trying to be 'nicer than Jesus!'

[Clio]

does that mean we can't have an honest evaluation of the situation?

I've had roughly the same experience as Leonard yet we both are/were involved in helping the homeless. At some point, I had to evaluate whether what they "wanted" was what the Lord wanted for them. Mans ways are not His ways usually.

The pastor I went with under the bridge always took up an offering. This offended me in my spiritual immaturity but now I know that he was doing the right thing. The ones who gave were the ones depending on the Lord. The ones who didn't give were the ones blaming the Lord (and everyone else but themselves) for their situation.

Until they repent, we will only be helping them remain homeless by giving them the means to do so.

So what is your experience with the homeless? Are your comments theoretical platitudes or based on real experience?

In the last 4 years we have had a family of 7 live with us for 3 months, a homeless couple for a month, a homeless young man for a year, two ladies who moved here with job offers that fell through once they got here for 5 months.

We volunteer at the food bank, shelters, and whenever I meet a homeless person, I always try and visit with them. If I don't have time, then I look directly at them and smile. If they are in my way, I treat them as courteously as I would anyone else, saying "Excuse me, Please, thank you" when they make room for me to go on about my way.

I occasionally give them cash, always food, I have gone home after seeing people standing out in bitter winter weather, stripped my home of blankets, knit caps, coats, and quilts and gone back and handed them out. I have taken and made breakfast burritos, 100 at a time and distributed them to whomever I saw that morning. Offering more than one to people if they would give it to others who might otherwise miss the bounty.

I never take an offering, nor do I expect assistance from any church. I don't belong to one. I make no distinguishment between depending on the Lord or not. It is the Spirit's job to reach their heart, it's mine to be a witness.

Jesus was no distinguisher of persons. He met each and every single person wherever they were at, met their physical needs, and from there the way was opened for Him to minister to their spiritual needs.

I have been taking homeless people into my home for meals, to sleep, to stay and get on their feet, to clothe them, to allow them a bath, whatever for 20 years.

My husband tells people who look at us kinda strange that "my wife collects strays.... and helps them"... but that was before he became a Christian.

Now he tells people, it's a "Jesus thing."

It's not my job to judge whether or not they are deserving.

Clio