Matthew 25:35-46
"for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me....'
I am thankful to be nestled inside, cozy and warm in my apartment, with a little food to eat and a bed. Many of our neighbors are not so fortunate. Homeless populations are forced to sleep in the cold or rely on the kindness of strangers through local non-profits to survive the bitter nights. This week in Montana, temps are dipping to -20 with wind chill and snowfall.
We have a tendency to mark the homeless as vagrants and degenerates who refuse to work, are lazy drunks and druggies that don't deserve our mercy. The fact is that Christ calls us to give the grace of mercy, compassion and love. We are called as Christians to minister to the poor, sick and needy. To actively give and to provide food and assistance to all our neighbors, be them strangers or friends and family. That doesn't mean you don't use sound logic, not giving cash to a person who wants to use it for heroin or alcohol or if you sense danger...the ministry doesn't stop, it shifts, in turn you offer them food, or prayers up close or at a distance. Provide information to services in the area and if nothing else be willing to listen to their story.
I ride the bus in Bozeman often. It is a convenient and safe way to get around in an eco-friendly way. One of the best gifts of riding the bus is the opportunity to interact with the community's homeless or just above water (paycheck to paycheck, food bank population). The homeless cannot merely be grouped into one stereotyped category. Each has a unique personality, character, hopes and dreams, mistakes and fears. Many suffer from mental illness, but cannot get treatment and are forced to live off the grid. Many work forty hours a week, but do not make enough to afford an apartment (we have a housing shortage in Bozeman), so they pay for a phone and blankets, haircuts and food, but don't have a bed to sleep in. On cold nights how desperate to be freezing in the shadow of your neighbor, with no one to help. Others have top degrees, one from Duke University, but they were laid off and lost their savings in the financial crisis. They look for work, but are living on the edge. Many are families struggling to stay together, feeding their hearts with love and hope.
Lucy is 67 and uses a walker, she works hard and is personable, but she lost her husband and her health. Her Social Security income isn't enough to get an apartment. She has an unassailable positivity - hope and faith in humanity, trust in God that makes me weep. Here I am worrying about minor details and frivolous things and this lady, who has been burdened with such adversity, stands as a testament of Christ in the world.
In this Advent season I think about Mary and Joseph, desperate to find a place to sleep, but there wasn't any room. No family or neighbor or stranger had room for a place to sleep - even on the floor. Mary is pregnant with the Messiah and yet she is forced to give birth in a crude stable, the manager as Christ's bed. Christ endured the scorn and shame, he chose to come into the world, on the edges of society so that they might find the protection of God amongst them.
This Advent Season, remember the least among us, strangers who linger in the shadows, desperate for light. Donate cash, even if small to local homeless shelters or organizations like Family Promise. HRDC in Bozeman is in desperate need of donations for the Warming Center. I pray that no one is left out in the cold. We can be Christ's light by showering love, compassion and mercy.
http://www.thehrdc.org/contribute/community-quilt/ - Donate to HRDC Community Quilt
If you don't have any extra cash (I can only spare $10-$20 for each charity, even a $1 at times), then share food with a stranger who is hunger, even if you eat a little less. Volunteer with organizations like the HRDC or Family Promise. Christ is the LIGHT of the World, yet he calls us to be candles, bearing his light on earth in active ministry.
Other ministries/ways to help:
- Salvation Army has a number of opportunities to volunteer and to give. I always do the Angel Tree, even if it means giving up my Christmas gift (for myself).
- Toys for Tots
- Goodwill
-Soup Kitchens/Homeless Shelters
-Women's Relief Centers like Haven or Interact (many displaced women have been abused and are in fear of their lives, they need the love of the stranger help protect them from those who they should trust.)
-Organizations against Human Trafficking - it is more prevalent in the US and Canada than you think...
Share your ideas and actively shed light in the darkest of places.
No comments:
Post a Comment