I'm in a strange place. God is working in my heart, but I don't exactly know what the results will be. The other evening when my wife and I were on our way back from Chernighiv, we were going through an underground tunnel that leads to the metro. There were three people there being confronted by the police. Basically they were homeless people. One man showed evidence of having had parts of his feet cut off, I don't know if it was because of diabetes or frostbite. There was a young woman in her late 30's and another man, whose age I wasn't sure of, but he had scars all over his face. The weather has been frightfully cold. Getting close to 0 F at night and hanging in the teens during the day and I assumed they where in the tunnel to warm up a bit, if not to avoid freezing to death.
I have been hearing stories of people being found frozen to death in the city. One of our friends had reported seeing a man who was frozen solid to the sidewalk. He may have fallen there drunk and froze to death… who knows. It's not too uncommon to find drunks passed out on the side walk now and then. But that really isn't my point. More I am concern is how would or will God's people (to include me) react to this. Will we sigh and say "The poor are always with us" and take that to mean there is nothing we can do. Will we look at the situation and sigh and go "There's nothing we should do, these people don't want help other wise they wouldn't be like this." It troubles my heart that we can so quickly dismissed those in dire need because we are unwilling to pay the cost to help them. Quite frankly it IS expensive both emotionally and in terms of how we may have to sacrifice in our life styles but is the price really a reason that we can ignore the commandments of our Lord. He paid a price for us that none of us could ever repay.
I know there are those who play on human pity to make a living for themselves. There are women who drug their children with vodka so they will sleep in there arms and then beg for food. We have seen at least one old woman who wears a sling, which changes arms day to day. But just because there are some who seek to take advantage of our good nature, need we ignore all who are or appear to be in need?
My heart was moved to pity by these three people in need, but I took no action. I know giving money is problematic as they may spend it on drugs and alcohol. But then what is stopping me from buying them a loaf of bread or a drink of water or a blanket? Unfortunately it was Eastern Christmas eve and most shops where already closed.
What disturbs me further is that I know if one of these people showed up on the door steps of our church that they would likely be turned away by the "security" people who are there to protect the building from thieves and other miscreants that we don't want darkening our door steps. Do we, if we truly are God's people, understand that God loves these people too? Do we truly understand that justice and mercy are the weightier parts of the law? Do we understand that when we help one of those that we are ministering to Christ? Do we truly understand that how we treat people like those I mentioned above is a test of our faith to see if we are truly followers of the Living God?
Recently I have been flustered by my landlord's increase in our rent. Yet even in moving I will have a place to live. Even if the three of us had to move into a one room apartment we would have a place to live, we would be off the streets and have a warm bed to sleep in, even if it were a fold- out couch. We would good food to eat and clean water to drink. Even if our apartment was a bit cool we wouldn't be freezing to death. Yet our Lord says that these concerns really aren't the stuff of true life. Our true life lies in Christ; in seeking His Kingdom and righteousness. If we can grasp this fully, the worries and concerns of this life will seem less vital to us and we will more likely to be willing to share the bounty that God has given us with those less fortunate than ourselves.
Pray with me that I would experience the fullness of God's freedom that I might be generous even when it seems that I have little to give. God has blessed us abundantly with family, friends, shelter and provision. We have so much and there are those with so little. Pray that we would not forget them and would look for ways to bless and share.
Amen,
P.A.
P.A.
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