Christian Living

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The letter from the Christian city councilman was abrupt and stinging in its rebuke of our ministry to the homeless.

"I think the reason there is not already an existing solution (from a church or private charity) is that most people (including me) think most homeless people have chosen that lifestyle for themselves, mostly through addiction to alcohol and drugs, or maybe through a lack of desire to work. ...

"In my opinion, 'help' is wasted on anyone who is there because of their own fault." the letter continued, "and who isn’t trying to help themselves. 'Help' in that case I think is foolish and wasteful, and would just encourage that person to continue in the same behaviors."

What Bible is this "Christian" reading? I thought to myself. Where is the love?

In John 15:12, Jesus specifically states: "This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you." He says nothing about pre-qualifying people to love, or determining whether the "least of these" might be a little too far gone for us to "waste" our efforts.

Agape love -- selfless love for everyone, warts and all -- this is what Jesus preached. This is what Jesus gave each of us.

I could feel myself becoming self-righteously angry. I wanted to give this guy a piece of my mind! I started thinking of Bible verses to use to rebuke him.

Then I started thinking of some other scriptures.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged," says Matthew 7:1.

And not far away, in Matthew 7:5, Jesus says: "You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Luckily for me, while I was trying to find ways to drill a hole through the beam so I could rebuke this elected official, my wife was listening to God's direction. She was looking at this councilman through Jesus' eyes.

She saw the silver lining in the letter from this man:

"If you can identify someone in that (homeless) camp who is there because of a situation beyond their control," he had written, "and who has done everything they can to pick themselves up, I personally would like to help that person (especially if it is a woman with children). My family will find a way to provide food and lodging. As a Christian, I HAVE to do that."

My wife's response thanked this man for his faithfulness, saying what a blessing it is to have Christians on the city council.

Instead of creating strife, her letter opened the door for a dialog with this man -- and for God to act.

The next day, God located a homeless woman with children who had fled an abusive home and was desperately trying to get off the street.

Now this man has agreed to contact this woman and see what he can do for her.

My wife pointed out what a blessing is that this man is a Realtor, with access to properties that may be turned into shelters; that this man is a power on the city council; that he is interested in possibly running for mayor.

God's ways are not our ways. He can use anyone to His purposes. Our family certainly would not have been able to find accommodation for this homeless woman and her children.

Once more, we see God's unconditional love teaching us what it means to reach out to everyone, especially those who might offend us.

Jesus made no distinctions when he died on the cross, once for all.

We can only try to do the same.

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