Yesterday I ran into a guy who was living out of his car with his wife and running on empty on their way to Ohio. They hadn’t eaten in quite awhile and needed some help.

I remember back in the day when a homeless guy asked me for my pringles and I was too selfish to even offer him those, but my attitude has changed greatly for these people. This is obviously a great thing for the Kingdom of God, but it can also be harsh on my wallet. But obviously one beats the other by a million miles and I knew that helping this couple out was much more important than any money in my wallet. I gave them my left over Mongolian Barbeque and what I think was enough gas for them to make it home. I prayed with them and now I hope that they are at their destination.

I gotta say though— it didn’t make me feel that good to know that I was eating some nice Mongolian Barbeque when there are people right around me starving. And it made me feel even more uncomfortable about all the people in foreign nations going through the same thing. 

 

 

Anyways, here’s a journal entry I made on October 11, 2007 about a homeless man that I met in Chicago that I thought I would share with you:

 

Chicago, Homeless, Blessings, and Pants?

 

“Jesus was homeless!”

-Shane Clairborne

 

A couple weekends ago I took a school trip to Chicago to experience different cultures. While I had grown up in the country, I have also had a couple years in the city. But not anywhere near the big city.

Everywhere you looked there were buildings that scraped the sky as well as skies that scraped the buildings. Thousands of individual owned stores, different religions, different cultures, different music and so on and so forth. People were living as one yet living completely segregated. Yet I think the thing that struck me the hardest was the homeless.

 

When I was younger I always kept my distance from the homeless. I figured they must have been horrible people who screwed up in life and asked for your money and spent on booze. Some call that a stereotype. I, however, call that a stereotype (shut up Jamin). The truth is that these people are really wonderful people who are trying to get by in life.

 

While I have never been homeless I have been broke. Fortunately I have a job. A lot of these guys don’t have jobs. They make just enough money off of begging for food for a day. So how on earth are they supposed to find their way out of debt and back into today’s screwed up economy? I have no idea.

 

But I do know that I am doing much better off then these people no matter how much money is in my pocket and it is for that very reason that I am compelled to give little of what I may have. And when I say little, I mean little as in giving to others. I am not satisfied in how much I was able to give away to the homeless.

 

I’m reminded of my new friends I met one night of the Chicago trip. It was late and I felt like going for a walk so I could soak up Chicago one more time before we left for home. I met him the moment I walked out the door. His name was an odd name that started with an R. It was a sweet name too, but due to the lack of my ability to remember things I cannot quite tell you what exactly his name was. Either way, he approached me in his inside out shirt, jeans, large glasses and began a conversation.

 

-Excuse me sir, I don’t mean to get so close to you but I can’t hear well so I apologize if I’m yelling.

 

-Yeah, what’s up?

 

-Well, it’s getting late and I haven’t eaten anything all day and I just thought I would ask you if maybe I could use some money to go get a burger. McDonalds has this two big macs deal and I would like to get it. Man, you know God will bless you back if you could spare a couple dollars.

 

*Pause* (Freeze everything in place and mute ambient noise as I walk towards the camera to talk. Lower background lighting and turn on spotlight.)

 

I was caught speechless after he said this trying to find the words to say. God will bless me? Look, I may not have a whole lot of money, but I have got to have more than this dude. And here he is telling me God will bless me? Being next to this man I come to realize… God has blessed me enough. I have a home, a family, a car, musical equipment, friends, {insert need}, {insert not a need but still sweet to have}, and here’s this guy telling me God will bless me if I give him some cash? Let’s reverse this. How about God uses some of the blessings he’s given me to bless him. I wished I was rich at that moment. “Here’s a couple grand, bro. Use it to get back up on your feet.”

 

(I walk back to the current situation, the special lighting fades and the ambient noise of cars, trams and people kick back in.)

 

-Can I take you to Panera Bread right there?

 

-They don’t let me in there man.

 

-They don’t?

 

-No, I’m not allowed.

 

I pulled out my wallet. 29ish bucks. That’s not too far off from a grand right? I had to settle for 9 bucks.

 

-Thanks so much man. God bless you.

 

-No, God has blessed me enough. Enjoy your meal!

 

As he walked across the street I decided I wanted to see if I could pray for him. I ran back after him and probably scared the living daylights out of him.

 

-Hey man, can I pray for you?

 

-Man I need prayer more than anything else.

 

We connected one hand together and prayed that he would be able to find hope and love in God and be able to get out of the rut he was stuck in. 

 

Man, I don’t know about you guys, but I think if I was homeless I would have a hard time loving, let alone believing in God. The whole world is against me and it’s like “If there’s a God then why would He do this to me!?” Well take a look at Jesus himself. These were the people he ministered too. Not to mention that He was homeless!

 

Oh us of little faith. There are those much worse off than us who depend of God for everything. Yet here we are with everything we need and ignorant of our blessings. Especially myself included.

 

 

 

On another note, I gave this other homeless dude my last dollar bill later and he dropped his pants for some reason. He was asking for another dollar. I think he was asking for either new pants, underwear, or a belt… I dunno but he was telling me to look for whatever reason. Friends, if you ever become homeless, please don’t take your pants off when someone gives you a dollar. It’s so awkward. Seriously, I’ll get you some new pants or underwear or whatever it is you’re looking for.