The Homeless

We pass by them every day, do we not?
We try to ignore their inner cries
their sad faces
their worn out clothes.

We justify the hardness of our hearts and reason,
"They must have done something to deserve that."
"Surely there is some shelter they can go to."

We harden and harden and harden our hearts some more.

But God said, "If you close your ears to the poor,
when you cry out, you will not be heard."

And Jesus said, "Whatever you do to the least of these,
you have done unto me."

What would Jesus do?
Would Jesus help the homeless?

He would definitely have an overwhelming amount of compassion 
for them.
He would look at, them, like sheep lost without a shepherd.

He would give, them, food and water and a wool blanket,
to guard against the freezing, bitter cold of the night.

He might even pay for them to stay in a nice hotel for the night.

He would take them out for a steak dinner
and listen to them tell their whole life story.

He would offer them rides to job interviews,
and try to help them get back on their feet.

Heck, I bet He would even give them the clothes off his back
and any money that He had.

He knew His heavenly Father would take care of him.
He knew His Dad had his back.

He would heal them emotionally.
He would listen to them.

He would not walk away from them.
He would NOT pretend to not see them.
And He would not harden his heart towards them.

He would help them.
And they would LOVE Him.

Aren't we supposed to be Jesus to the world?
Aren't we suppose to take His place now that He is gone?
Aren't we suppose to be the body of Christ?

Why don't we act like the Holy Spirit is actually inside of us?
Why don't we have compassion on the poor and the lost?

"What does the Lord require of you?"
Answer: "To care for orphans and widows in their distress."

But we callously think, "Aren't there programs for those people?"
"Isn't that what welfare is for?"
"Surely God doesn't want me to actually give some of MY money to, them,
Does He?"

Yes, HE DOES.
He calls us to care, REALLY care, about people.
To REALLY love.

And how can we love others
when we see them in pain and do nothing?

How can we say the love of Christ is in us, if we ignore their poverty?

The love of Christ ought to compel us to feed the hungry, yes?
And to give of our time, money and resources to the needy.

Are not all men created in God's image?
Are we not all God's people?

God cares about every single person alive.
And He wants us to care about, them, also,
as much as He does.

To REALLY love them.

May we soften our hearts to the homeless that we see.
And try to help as many as we can.
Because we are Jesus' hands and feet to this world, yes?

He wants to use you.
Will you let Him?
Will you feed his sheep?