October 27

I was relaxing in a comfy chair at the Mother Ship crocheting and drinking my coffee this morning (as I so often do) when a man came in and asked the barista if he could use the restroom. I didn't pay much attention until I saw him walk back through a few minutes later and leave without making a purchase. Interest piqued, my gaze followed him outside. And I watched as he pulled a cardboard sign from an overstuffed baseball bag and plunked down in a chair.

Matthew 25:40 sprang to mind and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. It's the verse that --loosely-- says that when you serve society's most vulnerable people, you're actually serving Jesus Himself. I shifted and watched for a few minutes more as person after person passed him by without a second glance, and I could feel the Holy Spirit telling me to do something. At first I tried to ignore it because I'm not someone who's historically been comfortable around the homeless, but I knew I had to get up.

So I steeled myself, arose, and went outside. I told him my name and asked his, and then I asked Rick if he'd like a coffee or a sandwich. He smiled and said that he'd love a sandwich and that he wasn't picky, so I ducked back inside, bought the sandwich and a snack tray for later, and headed back outside. I asked if he'd like to go inside and chat (because it was a chilly morning), but he declined, noting that his clothes were probably "a bit funky" to make that a good choice. So I changed gears and offered to join him at a table outside. He seemed surprised and replied that yes, he'd love some company and to talk. 

So I sat and talked with Rick --or more accurately, listened to his story-- for about an hour. And honestly, it was an hour very well-spent. Although years on the streets have hardened his appearance a good deal --I was rather taken aback when he said he was 51-- he was intelligent and open. He shared about leaving a bad home situation at age 12 and moving to Hollywood, and about his coast-to-coast travels and about how he'll never again work for a big corporation like Walmart. 

And we talked a little about God and living with a sense of peace, even when life feels impossibly hard. He told me that he thinks about God often, and could see how certain events in his life had played out in seemingly miraculous ways.

When the time came for me to head out, I thanked him for the chat, and he heartily thanked me for listening because --as he said-- almost no one talks to him or wants to hear his story. So I looked him in the eye and told him that he's a human being who deserves care and compassion. And that Jesus really, truly does love him -- he just needs to accept that love.

I'm not posting this because I want praise for being kind to a homeless person. In fact, I almost didn't write about it at all because I don't want that kind of acknowledgement. What I do want to accomplish is this: when God puts something on your heart, do it. Move. If a verse runs through your mind, don't dismiss it. Act. He will give you the words and the wisdom to operate in any situation. 

Yesterday, I prayed for boldness. I didn't know why at the time, but when I saw Rick, I remembered that prayer. So tonight, I'm thankful for that answered prayer, and I'm thankful for the exchange I wouldn't have had if I'd not gotten up when I felt prompted to act.