He was standing in front of me "I'm hungry" he said. Torn army green jacket, shredded shorts, unmatched socks....I looked up at his face unshaven, weathered, and dirty....
I got him a cold cup of ice water and had him sit in the dining room in the air conditioning. Some of the other "regulars" made a face at me having him sit down. Thoughts were racing in my head....some of the crew were warning me "now he'll be back every day." Possibly will turn out they are right I thought to myself. "Then the word will get out and you'll have all of
them here" someone said
.
I was picturing my dining room filled with homeless people milling about.
It doesn't matter. This man needs food....not a tract or a IGBOK bumper sticker...for him it's
NOT going to be OK unless someone acts.
Flash back to a time years back when I was headed to a sporting event downtown with my nephew and my young son. Because we always lived in the suburbs I never really thought about the adventure part of being in the city for my son. He was wide eyed and taking it all in. Unlike myself...he really seemed to love all of the tall building and all of the mass of people.
Suddenly a man popped out from behind a tree and asked if we could help out a brother. I was already passed him and moving on. My brother in law Steve looked at him and saw him. He talked with him a few brief sentences and slipped some cash into his hand.
My son Grant had many questions for me. "What did he want Dad?, Why is he so dirty Dad, Why did Uncle Steve give him money Dad, Why didn't YOU give him something Dad?."
Ashamed of what I had taught my son...I quickly reasoned "well Grant, in the city we could run into someone almost every block in need and we don't have enough to share with all of them." He looked around and said "I don't see anyone else Dad...just him."
I was so unnerved after that that I never enjoyed the sporting event. I thought about it isn't what we say but what we do that speaks about who we really are. Another quote I've recently heard "People will listen to what you say but they will believe what they see you do."
What should we do with others in need?
If we can--- we can give them a seat at the table and help them...let them know they are seen and not invisible.
I was hungry at my second job that night but I pictured if my son was watching me...he would have had a whole different set of questions from the events of this day....ones I would have been
happy to answer.
In my past life when I sold musical gear there was a young act that came into my office having just arrived in Nashville. They had a hit later that same year and the lyrics are relevant to this post.
The Twenty-First Time Lyrics Monk & Neagle
Monk & Neagle Lyrics – The Twenty-First Time
Nowhere to live, nowhere to fall
He used to have money, but he’s wasted it all.
His face is a photograph burned in my mind,
but I pretend not to see him for the twenty-first time
He sleeps under stars, that’s all he can afford
His blanket’s an old coat he’s had since the war
He stands on the corner of Carter and Vine
But I pretend not to see him for the twenty-first time
He may be a drifter, he’s grown old and gray
But what if he’s Jesus and I walk away?
I say I’m the body and drink of the wine
but I pretend not to see him for the twenty-first time
She’s twenty-nine but she feels forty-eight
She can’t raise three kids on minimum wage
She’s cryin’ in back of the welfare line
but I pretend not to see her for the twenty-first time
She may be a stranger tryin’ to get through the day
but what if it’s Jesus and I walk away?
I say I’m the body and drink of the wine
but I pretend not to see her for the twenty-first time
This is a call for a change in my heart
I realize that I’ve not been doin’ my part
when I needed a Savior, I found it in Him
He gave to me, now I’ll give back to them
Drifter or stranger, father or son
I’ll look for Jesus in every one
’cause I am the body and drink of the wine
and I’m thankful there’s more than the twenty-first time
