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November 24th 2020

DO UNTO THE HOMELESS by Ryan Sharp

If I asked the average citizen in America, are you a Christian? About 70% would say, yes. If I asked the same 70%, do you know any homeless people, visit with them, or help them, I would get less than 1%. Somethings not right there.

Jesus said, “whatever you do to the least of these, you do it to me.”

So I pose that question to you. Since some will pose the question right back and since I believe in taking the plank out of my own eye first, I will answer and tell you that I know almost all the regular homeless people in my community. I visit with them an hour or so at least every two weeks. I pray with them, but more importantly, I give them food, coats, or whatever they need (other than money). I even play backgammon with one of the guys who is amazingly smart.

There are actually different categories of homeless, from the hidden to those full time on the streets. And we should be aware of that, but the people on the streets full time are typically the most in need.

The myth is that all those on the streets are there because they are lazy and won’t work. I used to believe this too until I started visiting with them and being an ear for them. I realized that some of the smartest and most talented people are homeless. I told one guy last week, I’d rather vote for you for president than either one of the clowns who ran this year in the two major parties. And I would.

Getting back to the myth… You find that many of the homeless are disabled veterans or other disabled people through no fault of their own. Everyone I know personally that’s homeless has a severe disability either from a car wreck, war injury, or terminal illness that keeps them from working and it shows. They aren’t lying to gain sympathy. One guy I know had millions of dollars, multiple houses, etc. but lost it all after being hit by a car at 50 mph in Fort Myers. The car never stopped. The medical bills took everything he had and then, of course, he couldn’t work afterwards either. He has a titanium spine, leg, and recontructed skull and now has severe seizures that prevents him from working. He’s now 78 years old. To add some sweetness to the story, this man who was on the streets for 18 years was just given a house for $100 a month, which his social security will cover. A lady at a Christian ministry, Jesus Loves You Ministries, that helps the homeless finally got so tired of waiting for the homeless coalition and others to find him a home that she bought this man a house out of her and her husband’s own money and put him in there. They held a “new home” celebration for the man. I attended. It was wonderful.

 

I want you to know another statistic. According to multiple studies examining the causes of homelessness, among mothers with children experiencing homelessness, more than 80% had previously experienced domestic violence. … Between 22 and 57% of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness. This abuse often leaves them mentally and physically damaged to the point they cannot get hired or keep a job.

Now, granted, there are those who are there by their own fault, namely because of alcohol and drug addiction. Although I find those who have or had a drug addiction are already dead because they either overdosed or the dealer or another addict killed them. However, most the alcoholics are stuck to battle the addiction alone. Still, does that mean that God’s grace is not for them too? Does that mean that we should deny them time and love too? I don’t think so. What would Jesus do?

So why are you writing this now, Ryan? I’m writing this because I care about what God cares about, and Christians are people who care about what God cares about. And with so many people struggling right now because of Covid inspired state communism, the homeless are getting the brunt of the shaft because people are not giving. Again, I talk to them. I know how they’re doing and when they are on death’s door. And one sweet couple I spend time with is starving to death and have already had ambulance trips since covid started. I do what I can, but I’m only one person on a very limited budget. I would so love to get them off the streets before they are killed. They’ve already had everything stolen from them multiple times and have been stabbed and beaten multiple times. Yet neither is there because of drugs or alcohol. The man is a disabled veteran who suffers from seizures, and his wife is dealing with a whole host of physical problems. I know that each time I talk to them could be their last.

Until you put a name with a face, its easy to just pass people by. I ask you today to stop treating your dogs and cats better than people. Stop passing everyone by and take time to get outside your 24/7 box. Learn what other people gotta go through, and perhaps you’ll realize you have it pretty damn good. Release yourself and let Christ’s love breath through you! Stop making excuses and start living everyday to the fullest.

Anyway, you get the point. I want you to know the facts. I want people to stop using the myths to provide themselves an excuse.

So what can you do? Here’s a couple things:

1) Buy some bananas or bag of apples, go to your local park or somewhere the homeless may be found, and offer them food and then listen to them. Ask them questions. Spend time learning.

2) Then offer the love of Christ, the wisdom of Christ, and the tangible practical help that you feel convicted to offer. It is not enough to simply pray for someone and leave them to starve or wave at them from a moving car. Park, get out, and invest yourself in service.

3) Advocate for them. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Jesus also says, “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Ask them how the cops and local officials are treating them. Ask them if they are removing drug dealers and violent criminals off the streets because that directly hurts the homeless. Demand they do their job. A smart police department will not fight the homeless, they will become their friends so that they can have informants who know the bad elements around town. The homeless know where the drug dealers, pimps, and criminals may be and they hate them more than you or I because they get beaten up, stabbed, and stolen from by the criminals. I find out all kinds of things by talking to the homeless. I know who was murdered and how and whose still on the streets and who got arrested. In many ways, I know whether the police are doing their jobs and how safe and how well my town is run. So make sure your police and local officials are not persecuting the good homeless while letting the drug dealers and bad ones roam freely. Visit the churches and learn what resources may be available for the homeless and encourage churches to step up if they aren’t already. Then help get the food to the people who need it. A true homeless person does not have a car and usually doesn’t even have a bike, so getting to a food pantry can be hard if not impossible. So bring the food to them. I also like to share good news with the homeless and try to help them network with others who are good because the Bible says, “a man alone is easy prey.” And that’s very true on the streets. They need a network of friends like anyone else or they’re done for. So if you know of a safer place or safer group to be around, direct them, take them, and plug them in to the group. Many think that we should drive away the homeless or keep them moving, but what happens is that they become afraid to be in groups because they know they’re more visible and likely to be harassed. So the good ones (disabled, abused women, etc) get robbed and often murdered and you end up with a whole town of criminal homeless. But if you allow the “good ones” to connect and stay together, they become very close and will defend each other and will naturally drive away the bad elements and will go to the police since they have a community of support and are not a lone target. So these are things that people and community leaders need to think about.

And I’m asking Christians to take the lead they should be taking.