The Poor Among Us

Living downtown Toronto, I find it easy enough to go and be of some help to those in need, namely the homeless that so often fill our parks and streets. I find it a simple enough task to take a few minutes of my day and buy someone a coffee or donut from Tim Horton’s. In fact, if you try it yourself, you’ll probably find it’s not even that hard to sit and have a chat with one of these people. Maybe not even about anything special, but it’s amazing how meaningful it is to show someone that they matter, and that someone does care.
To me, living here and experiencing this sort of thing is commonplace.
But can I tell you what is really hard for me? (The hard thing, which I don’t like to think about because it makes me uncomfortable just to picture it)
Doing more…yikes! Those are scary words. To do more- To go back the next day and spend another few minutes with the same guy; to give more time; to find out what is really going on and try to help; to give more than food or clothing; to take someone out for a nice dinner, knowing people will look at you funny. To make them feel loved no matter what it takes.
“But no, I can’t give too much of myself; especially not today.”
Why not today?
“But I’ve already done so much to help.”
Maybe so, but can you do more?
“But it is so inconvenient; so uncomfortable; so tough; so tiresome; so frightening...”
So what?

For me, when say I stop to say hello to someone on the street, the initial small talk is easy enough. But then there is that pause- you know, the one where you usually say “well, it was really nice talking to you, I have to be on my way”- and then you head on to that place you really don’t have to be on your way too in any real hurry.
But the challenge as Christians is that God doesn’t want us to just cross to the other side of the road, or to take the easy road as it were. He calls us to something greater. It’s as if he says to us:
‘What if instead of leaving, you just stayed. Just sit there in the silence, and maybe after a moment, or perhaps even a long while, conversation might carry on. Or maybe it won’t, who knows? (Here, I usually wince with that face that says ‘oh no’, and try everything I can to get the thought out of my head- but it’s too late. I know as long as I don’t do it, the feeling won’t go away.)
We often try to justify our reasons for getting out while it’s still safe, but we all know what we really need to do in those situations. It’s just a matter of if we actually follow through.
But man, it’s not easy. I can tell you this from the too few times I’ve actually tried it. It is not glamorous like you picture it being when you hear heroic tales of such things.
I don’t know about you, but the music in the background of movies gets me going, especially ones like ‘Brave Heart’- Bagpipes playing and William Wallace fearlessly leading his army of common men- there is nothing more heroic and inspiring in my eyes. I feel like I could change the world…

But in all reality, when you wake up and head out the door in the morning, there is no music, and definitely no William Wallace by your side.
But what we do have is this: A great hope in a God who so intimately relates to the same struggles, and promises to be with us as we go out into the world; a God who is indeed alive in us. And in Him, there is great comfort in knowing the victory is ours. Because if God is for us, then who can be against us? (I think we need remind ourselves that even William Wallace will fall at the feet of God in awe on that great day.)

So when it comes to actually making a difference in someone’s life, I’ve had to realize it is not as easy as people make it out to be in movies. In fact, it can be quite uncomfortable. What if, for example, it is raining outside, or if it’s cold, or you’re hungry, thirsty, tired, angry, or whatever. Maybe the person smells. Maybe you smell. It is usually not very convenient.
But to stay anyways…wow! Now that is a real challenge. Have you ever tried it? To stick it out and take what is really but a fraction of your life to have a meaningful time with someone who surely would appreciate it. To do as Jesus did and meet people as they are, with an agenda formed only of love and compassion, and not personal gain: To ‘seek and save that which is lost’; to love your neighbour as you love yourself; to not just give a small portion of your time, money, love, etc…, but to give your all to show the world there is a God who loves them. And most importantly, to remember and pray continually for those whom you seek to serve.

Like I said before, it’s easy enough for me to meet people in need on the street, even just out my front door. But loving our neighbour is much more than just helping the poor man on the street, though that is a part. Our needy neighbours are those in our communities, our workplaces, our schools, and even our Churches. The single parents for example, the troubled youth, and the lonely widows, just to name a few. It’s a matter of praying for the opportunity and opening our eyes to the real needs of peoples’ hearts. Everyone is just a person, and every person hurts.
It’s something to think about, something to pray about, and something to do.

Andrew