Good morning an happy August 1st. Yep, we are there already. Time flies when you are having fun and/or living in a world that has been turned upside down due to a pandemic.
I got a text from brother Jacques yesterday. He has made it to Haiti safely and the kids are doing well. Hopefully, I will get additional info to pass onto you this week.
As many of you are aware, from time to time, we have homeless people wander by the church. Most of them we will see only one or two times before they move on. Several stayed in the area for a month or more before disappearing. One man comes by typically a couple of times a week. We have sought to minister to him in a variety of ways. He even commented one time that our church is different than the other churches. We actually care for people. I am thankful that he recognized that we care, that we are seeking to demonstrate the love of Jesus. I am also confident that we are not the only church doing so. However, there are likely some that don’t seem to care. Part of it may be that they don’t know what to do or how to help. Honestly, many times we are at a loss as to how we can really help someone. Many of the people we encounter are or have dealt with alcohol and/or drug addictions. Others have mental health issues. If it were a matter of providing someone with a meal, a bag of groceries or a place to stay for one night, the problem would be easy to solve. But it is not. It is a very complex issue. Therefore, we recognize that one of the best things we can do is to share Jesus with them. Of course, we seek to do that through the Word of God. We also do that through our actions. For a moment in time, they can have another person to talk to and a place where they are safe from the dangers of living on the street.
This past week, we noticed a new guy hanging out in the parking lot. The first time I saw him, it was apparent he was drunk. Later that day, he was actually laying on the sideway in front of the liquor store. However, by Thursday afternoon, he had made his way to the bench on the sidewalk near our church. I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but the bench used to be near the entrance to Dollar General. Somehow, it has migrated closer and closer to our single door. Not sure if the folks at DG did that, or if our friends just wanted to be closer to us. Anyway, the man, whom I later found out is named Will, was sitting on the bench and seemed to be a lot less inebriated than when I first saw him. We began talking and he asked about the church. He wanted to know how we are different than the Catholic church he grew up in. As I waxed on eloquently, I asked him if he had a Bible. He said he used to but never could understand what it was talking about. I grabbed him one of the New Testaments from our display in front of the church and tried to explain what it was about. I shared with him about the purpose statement of John and how the book is written so that you could come to believe who Jesus really is. He said he was excited because he had never understood that before. As we talked, he also shared about himself. He told me a little about growing up in KC, going to school at St. John’s, playing ball at Emporia and then, he said he played a little in the majors until he hurt his arm. After that, alcohol took over his life. Think about that for a moment, if what he said was true, he went from possibly playing in the major league to now living on the streets. That is tragic. By his own admission, he is a drunk and hasn’t been able to overcome it. He has tried various things but he always goes back. If you think about it, say a pray for Will. Ask God to help him to come to know Christ as his Lord and Savior, and to have the will to get sober.
As we got done with our conversation, he said something that made me stop and think. He thanked me for taking the time to talk with him and said I was the first person in a long time that didn’t make him feel like a piece of s#!%. I mean, all I did was talk with him. Honestly, when I first saw him near our door I was hoping he wasn’t wasted. I have spent time trying to talk with people that were and it always made me feel like I was wasting time. I am thankful that God led me to stop and talk with Will. I am also thankful for the reminder that this homeless man gave me. We need be aware of how we treat people, regardless of their situation in life. Somehow, someway, we are to demonstrate the love of Christ as best we can.
As Jesus taught in Matthew 7:
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
(Matthew 7:12, NIV)
May God bless and guide you in all ways,
Larry
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