Is it really my fault or business if someone chooses to live
on the street or be unemployed? What would happen if homelessness had a face
and a name that identified someone that became real to me? What has to happen
for you or me to be moved to do something to make a difference in the life of a
person who is struggling and at the end of their rope? Poverty and homelessness
are very complex issues with no simple pathway for wholeness!
The reality today regardless of age or family background is
that most are one or two paychecks away from being on the street. The
difference in our circumstances is that we have family or friends who do care
and would never let allow us to end up outside on the streets. Yet, most that
end up in the poverty cycle don’t necessarily choose this life style but end up
in circumstances that are overwhelming without a clear pathway to
sustainability.
As the city of Phoenix continues to grow and expand,
especially in the downtown, the homeless population continues to grow and be
pushed out of sight of the average resident. It was only a few weeks ago that I
was having a meeting at a downtown coffee shop in a new area that saw the
intersection of multiple roads give birth to a median strip. This median area
became a favorite hangout of the homeless. The situation went from vagrancy to
actual urban camping where a group pitched make shift tents and actually lived
24-7 in this little area surrounded by new high-rise lofts.
The dilemma for the city was that the downtown loft
inhabitants clearly were getting annoyed with the mess and ongoing presence of
the urban campers. It wasn’t too long before the city council made a decision
to move this mini-tent city. The morning I had coffee across from this median
strip the Phoenix Police were persuading this group to move on with their own
impetus instead of being cited or arrested. The real question which is the
challenge is where would this group go? Is there another area where they would
be welcomed to pitch their tents and store their shopping carts full of their life
possessions?
I know at times many would quote Jesus who made the
statement that ‘the poor would always be with you’. Sadly, this misquote would
often be used as an excuse to not to see the bigger picture of God’s heart for
the broken, marginalized and forgotten. The Old Testament Levitical Laws made
provision for the poor, regardless of race with the land owner being required
to allow some of his crop to be left for the needy. The command was to give
generously to those in need without a grudging heart. The difficulty today is
that we disassociate ourselves from our neighbors, the stranger in the crowds
around us and definitely the marginalized person standing on the street corner.
Interestingly the needy were required to glean the land for
their food. This meant the individuals had to actually do work to feed their
families. The opportunity was there but had to be seized upon to provide. Today
we need to step back and better understand the situation about poverty and
homelessness in our own cities before we take action. Don’t misunderstand me I
truly believe that everyone is responsible for making our communities better
places to live and give the opportunity for those struggling, less fortunate or
dealing with their sinful behavior to get help that empowers them to become
responsible for themselves.
So, what is my moral and spiritual responsibility to the
marginalized and leftovers of my community? I would hope that everyone would
ask this question to themselves at night as they sleep in their comfortable
house in a nice bed that has sheets, blankets and pillows. Imagine what it
would be like not to have more than a few changes of clothes. Fathom what it
would be like to not be able to bathe every day or do laundry. The more
crushing issue would be to picture what it would be like to be abandoned by
your family and friends and truly be alone?
My hope isn’t to give you a guilt trip that makes you feel
bad where you choose not to take any steps to help. Rather, I would like to
give you a ‘grace’ trip where you see how fortunate you are and catch the
vision to be a giver who shares from their abundance. The opportunity is to get
away from giving the panhandling a $5 or a $20 if they have a dog or a kid. The
more important pathway for change is to be open to befriend someone struggling.
Listen to their story and share your story. Consider volunteering at the local
rescue mission, shelter or at your church. The face of homelessness could be
what you see in the mirror!
Yes! I do have a moral and spiritual obligation to help
those in living in crisis!