6. The Gospel must be presented to the poor

The poor?  The poor!?  Who are the poor?  I just had two children in college.  I feel pretty poor!  The poor are those who have just about not enough.  Like me.  My bank account just about runs out of money.  My funds just about don’t last long enough.  My credit cards just about can’t keep up with my spending desires.

So, I am the poor.  Right?  Well, pretty much.  I guess we all have basic levels of poverty.  And the good news is that “The Good News is preached to the poor!” Matthew 11.5.

While I may be thinking about my bank account, I know that every day on our street, there will be around a dozen people who will systematically pick through around 30 bins of trash.  These “neighbors” are looking for something to eat – like some stale bread or meat; something to use – like a warmer coat or shoes; or something to sell – like some glass wine bottles.

What do I do about those who have been evicted from their homes, separated from their loved ones and have lost their jobs?  What do I do about the woman who has been repeatedly abused, the nine year old child who never attended school and the retired pensioner who doesn’t have enough money to heat her flat in the winter?  What do I do about the teenage girl who has been lured away from her east European home to “a better life” in the west – only to find herself a slave to forced prostitution?

Yes, what do I do?!  What can I do?

Jesus came “To seek and to save what was lost” Luke 19.10.  I don’t know about you, but I kinda want to avoid the lost, the poor, the sick.  I want to avoid seeking lost!  Don’t you?  How can one person change poverty anyway?!

I remember one day I was running.  It was a great day.  A great run.  And just about to finish my run when I saw a traffic light still green!  At the same moment, I saw a homeless man near the corner and the thought IMMEDIATELY came into my mind, “Invite him over to take a shower!”  Was this the voice of God or just my inner voice thinking this up?

Oh, I hope it was just a crazy thought.  I don’t think my wife would appreciate, “Hey, Hun, I’m home!  And I brought a homeless man with me to take a shower!”  Plus we had a young two year old at home.  Nope, just a thought.

But it kept coming back to my mind over those few seconds.  As I ran those last few strides toward the traffic light, I kept staring at this man and then at the light.  What do I do?!

Then a brilliant bargain with God came to my mind.  “OK, Lord, if this light stays green, I’ll run on home.  This was just a thought in my head.  If it turns red, I will stop and invite this man to have a shower in our home.  Yes, then I’ll know it was Your voice.”  It sounded like a fair bargain to me.

So I started sprinting toward the light.

But it turned red.

So, while out of breath, I turned to the man with dirty clothes and down cast eyes, “I’m just running home.  Would you like to come and take a shower?”

He looked at me in disbelief.  “What?”

“Would you like to come to my home and shower?”

“Why, sure!  Are you sure?  I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Yes, I’m sure.  Come on.”  I didn’t tell him about my bargain with God and the traffic light.

The light turned green and we walked across on to our home.  On the way he told me that he just came from Alaska where he lost his job.  He’s out of work and has no permanent place to stay.

All this was interesting and sad.  But I wasn’t fully engaged.  The thoughts kept coming to my mind about what my wife will say as I introduce my guest.

I walked in the door with my new friend and to my relief; my wife smiled and welcomed this homeless man into our home.  She not only gave him a fresh towel, but she stole some of my clothes to give to him and invited him to our table for a home cooked meal.

Our offer quite simple:  a shower and a meal.  He ate with our two year old on his lap.  He ate with new found energy, bright face and cheerful heart.  The change in him dramatic.  The change in that traffic light affected all of us!

The most noticeable form of poverty is the physically poor:  without home, food, family.  But we also need to dig a bit deeper to find the emotionally and spiritually poor.

Sometimes those people who have little physically have full, rich spirits.

Sometimes those people, who have so many physical riches, have poor, impoverished spirits.

Regardless, there is a home for each one.  Jesus invites them home.  You and I are His extended family making space for the poor in a new home. 

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

Matthew 9:12-13 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

The gospel must be presented to the poor.

·        Who are the poor in your neighborhood?

·        Where do we find them?

·        What do we do for them?

·        What could the Church do for them?

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Comments

[Sarah]

Wow, Dad, this is a captivating story. I battle with the inner voice too - do I stop and talk to this person? Do I actually say the crazy thing I'm thinking inside? Thanks for sharing your inner thoughts.

[Randy Bennett]

interesting article Jerry. I am just getting back to your blog after a couple of years. There are 4 of us in our cul-de-sac. One man is aethiest and all the rest Christian. He is character, but nice. Both husband and wife are much older and in need. We share cutting lawn, snow blowing, trimming bushes. paul next door has taken some moments to witness directly. We both agree it comes better from him. "Ed" really needs room and second guesses my motives like any other pastor type. This retired 80s couple were both professional ball room dancers etc. Fun to have as neighbors but poor in spirit for sure. thank you for your perspective. It opened my heart. Randy B.