He watches silently as the important people of the world, the movers and the shakers, the business men in their fine suits, hurry about. The talk into their cell phones, oblivious to their surroundings.
With dirty, weatherbeaten hands, he reaches into his bag and pulls out a stale crust of bread he had saved for this moment. People who have never experienced the depths of sadness or hoplessness this man has seen look upon him with pity or disgust as he brings the bread to his mouth and savors each bite.
They don't know his story. They don't know how he ended up here. Most of them don't even care. They just go about their business, trying not to get too close. Trying not to make eye contact in fear that he may ask them for something like a small amount of pocket change they could easily spare, but don't want to be bothered to stop for just a second to reach into their pockets and hand it to him.
The reasons they feel this way are fairly common. Maybe they think he's here due to his own bad choices. Maybe they think he'll just spend it on drugs or alcohol, so they're doing him a favor by not giving him anything. It is from this perspective that they can easily justify their refusal to help.
Although they'd never admit to such, maybe they view him as being somehow less than human, unworthy of even the slightest bit of common courtesy...............But they don't know his story.
When speaking of mental illness among the homeless, a very good friend of mine once said to me "Maybe they are crazy........but just because they're crazy doesn't mean they deserve to live like this."
This Sunday, we heard Katie Hansen share her story about being addicted to drugs, homeless, and forced into prostitution due to her drug addiction. If we didn't know her, how many of us would've walked right past her during those days, viewing her as less than human, refusing to help, and feeling very justified in doing so?
Much of what Katie said on Sunday rang in my ears. You see, just like Katie, I have been addicted to drugs. I have been homeless and penniless. It was a very long time ago, but I remember how that felt as if it were yesterday. I know others who have been in similar situations, all of whom are now people I am proud to call my friends. People I love and respect very deeply.
Are we more valuable now then we were at our lowest point? Not at all. When we were at our worst, God still loved us just as much as He does now.
In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus said:
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
The next time you see a man or a woman who is homeless, or hungry, or in need, please remember Katie's story. You know her, love her and respect her now because you don't look at her that way anymore. But the next person you see in that situation could be the next Katie - and could possibly be one kind act away from having their entire life changed for good, and in return they may eventually go back to the streets to help many others.
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